Forest Chapel

Forest Chapel

Forest Chapel

When I saw the pictures of the Forest Chapel for the first time, two things impressed me.

 

Firstly, the interior of this small chapel, which is characterized by filigree, tree-like steel stanchions. Secondly, the exterior view on this building. To the casual observer, the chapel almost seems to float.

The exterior in the interior

The chapel is a simple, white cube located in Gunma, Japan. It is situated on an area, which is primarily visited for weddings. The chapel serves the same purpose, and is surrounded by high trees, and green outside facilities. It has been designed in such a way that a piece of this environment can be found in an abstract form the interior of the building.

Abstracted trees in the interior

The small building succeeds in providing its visitors an interesting ambience on 135m². In terms of construction, it is a steel frame building, whose stanchions in the interior are shaped as abstracted trees. Four L-shaped steel profiles have each been merged into a cross, and form a statically effective support. At the upper half of their height the four profiles split and run in different directions towards the ceiling. It appears as if the chapel's roof was supported by filigree treetops made of steel. The remaining interior of the church presents itself simple and quiet. The altar consists of a simple wooden cross on a wooden pedestal.

A floating white cube

Three of the five outer walls of the building are transparent at the lower part. Only from a height of approximately one metre above the ground surface, the outer walls are entirely closed, and clad in white. The lower, glazed part of the façade is made of a kind of  mirror glass. The visitor can look outside from the interior of the church, but not inside the church from the surrounding landscape. The exterior is reflected in the planes in daylight. Thus, from certain angles, the compact structure seems to float.

Project details

Architect:

 

Hironaka Ogawa  (Hironaka Ogawa & Associates)

Status:

completed in 2011

Size:

 

135.23 m2

Comments

You need to login or register to post comments.
This comment will automatically be synchronized on social networks.
prabirbanik82's picture
prabirbanik82 18. December 2014 - 13:37

The chapel looks so different, it has a mesmerizing look and since they have tried an offbeat approach here it has been able to stand out from the rest. However, accessing a construction service provider has become so easier. Now you can access the roofing service provider Precision Contracting Service online at http://pcsexteriors.com.

prabirbanik82's picture
prabirbanik82 23. December 2014 - 10:59

The chapel looks so beautiful, it has been designed in such a beautiful manner. Now architects love to experiment with style, you too can design a snazzy house and you do not have to appoint any architect for that purpose. All you have to do is to follow the home design blogs and you would be able to find the right design. Installing glass windows and doors would help you make your home more energy efficient. But for this job hire a company like Ameristar Windows Inc. which is a reputed sliding glass door installer in Riverside, CA.

prabirbanik82's picture
prabirbanik82 24. December 2014 - 10:42

The best thing about the design of this chapel is the fact that it has a very modern appeal. While designing a home, people often face many confusions regarding the choice of designs and materials. Following home design blogs could help them clear away these confusion. But no matter how you design your house, make sure you get the best materials. If you need flooring items you could find a great collection at Flooringamerica.com/.

prabirbanik82's picture
prabirbanik82 29. December 2014 - 10:54

It really looks mesmerizing now, the chapel has been designed in a beautiful manner. It would be wonderful to see old buildings getting transformed by these talented architects. However, before renovating any building it would be better if you just clean with properly and hire a good mold and mildew removal service provider like Green Tree Environmental, you can find this company at http://www.greentreeenvironmentalllc.com/Mold-Removal-Central-Square-NY.html.

prabirbanik82's picture
prabirbanik82 29. December 2014 - 10:56

It really feels wonderful to see that they have come up with such unique chapel design. If you hire a custom home builder for building your home then you can also add creative touches to your home. It would be better if you install skylights in your home to make it more energy efficient. You can find amazing collection of skylights at http://www.skylightdeals.com/velux.aspx.

valyspin's picture
valyspin 7. February 2015 - 8:44

This cathedral is impressive. If the architects have started the restoration, the priest should add a few Christian artworks at the end. This improvement will give to the building a distinctive appearance. Also, people are attracted by new things, beautiful decorations and a great atmosphere.

billmarket17's picture
billmarket17 20. February 2015 - 10:50

Only great people should be allowed to become priests and to create their own ministry. They should speak from experience, not to invent stories. For instance, Siran Stacy has a tragic life story to tell. Someone can find more about his life and ministry at http://www.siranstacy.org/.

«Back