Simple gesture: Wooden Chapel by John Pawson

The Siegfried and Elfriede Denzel Foundation is the initiator of a special project named "Seven Chapels", which is to provide cyclists a series of places in which to take shelter, withdraw for a moment and reflect. Seven differing architectural signatures have found expression in the process.

One such signature is that of John Pawson, who soon realised on visiting the site that his wayside chapel would not be a conventional building. Rather, it was to become a transitional object positioned between the edge of the forest and the open country in fleeting, coincidental architecture that possibly might not be recognised as such: the simplest of all gestures, as the British architect states. It was considerations like these that gave rise to "Wooden Chapel".

The narrow openings that form the entrance and window underscore the solid materiality of the largely unworked tree trunks, whereby the warm colour and texture of the wood determine the experience of the interior. Attention is drawn upwards to the cross of coloured glass at the end of the "Wooden Chapel", while the glassless window offers views of the surrounding landscape and the church spire of the nearby village of Unterliezheim.

Further information: 

Design: John Pawson
Design Team: Jan Hobel, Eleni Koryzi, Max Gleeson
Construction: Gumpp & Maier
Location: Unterliezheim, Germany
Use: Chapel
Area: 30sqm

Photo: Felix Friedmann Photography https://felixfriedmann.com