The Chamber Church by Büro Ziyu Zhuang © Shengliang Su, courtesy of Büro Ziyu Zhuang.
Architecture – The Chamber Church by German-Chinese studio Büro Ziyu Zhuang in Qingdao, China. The architecture “respects the past and looks towards the future providing a religious experience and secular touch.” Explains the studio.
- RELATED STORIES: Discover more ‘holy’ architecture and design on Archipanic.
Distanced vertical ribs recreate the pure shape of classical church architecture. Indeed, the studio worked on churches’ archetypical and familiar elements, such as the bell tower, the spire, and the rose window. The rigid, geometric appearance of the exterior contrasts with the fluid, gentle curves in the interior space.
Located at the edge of a park, the Chamber Church is part of Chinese property developer Sunac’s Aduo Town project in the Qingdao Zangma Mountain Tourism Resort. In front of the building, Bùro Ziyu Zhuang created a ‘stage’ emphasizing its central position. An artificial lake surrounds the architecture and grants privacy.
The assembly hall is a soft, flowing cavity. “The design attempts to give people a sense of peace and shelter in the form of an enclosure, just as primordial caves used to do. It again provides a frame for the ritual and sacredness desired by the people holding the ceremony, thereby triggering a connection between the real and spiritual dimensions.”
The sixty separate and gradual slices create gaps in the façade with various visual effects depending on the observer’s angle. As light passes between the white slices, it reflects back and forth and then spreads evenly and softly into the interior.
“Throughout the day, the changing angle of the sun and its relation to the gaps and interfaces create varying visual effects. The play between direct and reflected light gives the ‘cave’ a sense of divinity and elation.”
The Chamber Church also features a semi-sunken podium level beneath the lake. Here are auxiliary spaces for the main auditorium, including a reception area and preparation room. A VIP entrance on the northwest side of the plaza leads directly to the lower floor.
All photos by Shengliang Su, courtesy of Bùro Ziyu Zhuang in Qingdao.
- RELATED STORIES: Discover more Chinese architecture and design on Archipanic.
