Brief: Design a chapel based on our own spiritual belief system. Structure: Corten Frame
I believe that one can only experience reality as what you perceive through your senses. Globally, these separate realities interconnect and exist in complex harmony. I translated this into a maze plan with translucent polycarbonate panels.
At the core of my belief is the notion that creation lets what is in the mind come out and ground you in reality. Therefore the central space has a creation wall with flippable tiles made out of corten and patinated copper. This is placed on the West side so that a bespeckled shadow pattern is thrown on the floor at sunset.
The framed patinated copper sheets form an external maze for a soft transition from the outside to inside the building. They are designed in response to the arrangement of the site's pre-existing trees.
Within Curtain Wall Frame:
1. 8mm Low Iron Outer Glass Pane with copper-coloured frit around edges.
2. 2mm Cavity
3.Expanded Copper Mesh atttached to (4.) 8mm Solar Control Glass with silicone
2. 2mm Cavity
3.Expanded Copper Mesh atttached to (4.) 8mm Solar Control Glass with silicone
Within Parapet and Roofing:
5. 30mm Air Cavity
6. 120mm Rigid Insulation
7. 3mm Folded Aluminium Backing Sheet.
8. 20mm Interlocked Angles
9. 5mm Copper Coping Cover
10. C Channel
11. Soft Insulation
5. 30mm Air Cavity
6. 120mm Rigid Insulation
7. 3mm Folded Aluminium Backing Sheet.
8. 20mm Interlocked Angles
9. 5mm Copper Coping Cover
10. C Channel
11. Soft Insulation
12. 6mm Thick Liquid Applied Rubberised Asphalt Waterproofing Membrane
13. 2mm Rubberised Asphalt Root Barrier
14. 140mm Rigid Insulation
15. 5mm Water Retention Mat
16. 25 mm Polyethylene Water Retention and Drainage layer.
17. 2mm Green Roof Geotextile Fabric Filtration Membrane
18. Earth Layer
19. Sedum Layer
20. 460mm Wide Gravel Strip
21. 50mm Rigid Insulation (Inside parapet)
22. 110mm Cavity Closer
23. 70mm Stone Coping
24. 15mm Vertical and Horizontal Plywood Strips.
25. 610mmx239mm Steel Universal Beam
13. 2mm Rubberised Asphalt Root Barrier
14. 140mm Rigid Insulation
15. 5mm Water Retention Mat
16. 25 mm Polyethylene Water Retention and Drainage layer.
17. 2mm Green Roof Geotextile Fabric Filtration Membrane
18. Earth Layer
19. Sedum Layer
20. 460mm Wide Gravel Strip
21. 50mm Rigid Insulation (Inside parapet)
22. 110mm Cavity Closer
23. 70mm Stone Coping
24. 15mm Vertical and Horizontal Plywood Strips.
25. 610mmx239mm Steel Universal Beam
Early Concept Sketch of Interior and Creation Wall creating personalised shadows
Final Model - Balso, Card, Expanded Copper Mesh
Scaled Card Model
After walking through the labyrinthine corridors, you reach the open central space at the heart of the network and achieve clarity on the nature of the building. As a metaphor, the polycarbonate panels suggest the shadows of the people behind them while still maintaining a sense of mystery. In daylight the copper mesh cladding reflects sunlight and maintains privacy for occupants; however its 30% light transmission constantly allows a tranquil view of the neighbouring lake.
South Elevation