News: architects and critics have called for the earthquake-damaged Christchurch Cathedral in New Zealand to be restored to its original gothic appearance after rejecting two contemporary proposals as "bizarre" and "architecturally illiterate".

Writing for the New Zealand news website The Press, British architecture critic Kieran Long said the proposals by New Zealand firm Warren & Mahoney, which were unveiled by Anglican leaders last week, offered "a fairly mediocre architectural choice."

If pressed to choose between the three options – a full restoration, a traditional redesign or an entirely new building – Long said he advocated the complete rebuilding of British architect George Gilbert Scott's gothic revival cathedral, which was constructed in the second half of the nineteenth century and suffered major structural damage during Christchurch's 2011 earthquake.

Above: traditional redesign proposal
Top: new building proposal 

"It is the only piece of architecture of these three that will have enduring meaning. It would speak of continuity, which is surely something valuable in a city like Christchurch today," said Long, who was recently named senior curator of contemporary architecture at the V&A museum in London.

The traditional redesign proposed was "architecturally illiterate", he noted. "The hexagonal facade treatment is bizarre and at odds with the ornamental logic of the gothic - the pattern and the rose window jar horribly."

He also criticised the contemporary timber and glass proposal as "too generic to be interesting", adding: "Its clumsy modern gothic is a kind of euphemistic architectural language that wants to appear rooted in history but in fact doesn't take it very seriously."

Above: original restoration proposal

Ellis Woodman, architecture critic for the Telegraph in London, also called for a straightforward restoration, dismissing the two alternatives as "painfully voguish", while Australian architecture critic Elizabeth Farrelly agreed that the "depth and mystery" of the original gothic cathedral should be preserved.

Professor Paul Walker from the University of Melbourne and Australian architectural writer Justine Clark added to the debate by saying reconstruction should be "given serious consideration", but called on Anglican leaders to think more carefully about their options.

An online poll conducted by The Press found that, as of this morning, 30.6 per cent back the restoration option, 24.2 per cent are for the traditional redesign and 39.6 per cent approve of the contemporary proposal, while 5.6 per cent of voters say they want something else.

Above: photo by Searlo

Christchurch's mayor Bob Parker backed the contemporary option, saying it "points us to where we need to be thinking as a city" while its lower costs and shorter estimated completion time also worked in its favour.

"I love the idea of something new. I think it's about looking forward rather than looking back, and this design helps with that," he said.

Japanese architect Shigeru Ban has meanwhile designed a transitional cathedral for the city made from an A-shaped frame of cardboard tubes, which is due to be completed this spring.

Above: Shigeru Ban's cardboard cathedral, photo by Shigeru Ban Architects

Earlier this year we featured a spiralling titanium-clad church completed in northern Norway and a proposal for a chapel in Miami shaped like a flowing gown – see all churches on Dezeen.

Images are by Warren & Mahoney except where stated.

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earthquake-hit Christchurch cathedral appeared first on Dezeen.

Danish studio Schmidt Hammer Lassen teamed up with Scandinavian firm Link Arkitektur to design the Cathedral of the Northern Lights in Alta, a Norwegian town located 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

The cathedral was conceived as a public attraction for tourists visiting the natural light display, officially known as the Aurora Borealis, which occurs when particles from the sun collide with the earth's magnetic field. It can be observed frequently between late autumn and early spring.

With a spiralling body, the cathedral winds up to form a pointed belfry 47 metres above the ground.

"The Cathedral of the Northern Lights is a landmark, which through its architecture symbolises the extraordinary natural phenomenon of the Arctic northern lights," said Schmidt Hammer Lassen partner John F. Lassen.

Shimmering titanium clads the exterior and was added to reflect the vivid green colours of the lights as they flicker across the sky.

"The cathedral reflects, both literally and metaphorically, the northern lights: ethereal, transient, poetic and beautiful," added Lassen. "It appears as a solitary sculpture in interaction with the spectacular nature."

The spiralling form continues inside the building, where offices, classrooms and exhibition areas wrap around a 350-person hall, which will be used for church congregations.

This isn't the first time the northern lights have provided the inspiration for architecture. Henning Larsen Architects and artist Olafur Eliasson drew inspiration from the lights when designing the Harpa Concert and Conference Centre in Reykjavík, Iceland.

A number of architectural projects have been completed in the northern parts of Norway in recent years. Peter Zumthor built a memorial to commemorate suspected witches, while Reiulf Ramstad Architects has added platforms high up in the Norwegian mountains.

See more architecture in Norway »

Above: site plan - click for larger image

Photography is by Adam Mørk.

Above: ground floor plan - click for larger image

Here's some more information from Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects:

Official inauguration of the Cathedral of the Northern Lights in Alta, Norway

The Crown Princess of Norway, Mette-Marit, has just inaugurated the Cathedral of the Northern Lights situated in the Norwegian town of Alta approximately 500 km north of the Arctic Circle. Even before the inauguration, the 47-metre-high cathedral, designed by schmidt hammer lassen architects in cooperation with Link Arkitektur, was perceived as a symbol and an architectural landmark for the entire area.

Above: basement level plan - click for larger image 

In 2001, when the architecture competition for the Cathedral of the Northern Lights was arranged, the city council in Alta did not just want a new church: they wanted an architectural landmark that would underline Alta’s role as a public venue from which the natural phenomenon of the northern lights could be observed.

Above: long section - click for larger image

The significance of the northern lights is reflected in the architecture of the cathedral. The contours of the church rise as a spiralling shape to the tip of the belfry 47 metres above the ground. The façade, clad in titanium, reflects the northern lights during the long periods of Arctic winter darkness and emphasizes the experience of the phenomenon.

Above: cross section - click for larger image

Inside the main area of the cathedral, the church room creates a peaceful contrast to the dynamic exterior of the building. The materials used, raw concrete for the walls and wood for the floors, panels and ceilings, underline the Nordic context. Daylight enters the church room through tall, slim, irregularly placed windows. A skylight lights up the whole wall behind the altar creating a distinctive atmosphere in the room.

Above: front elevation

The cathedral, which can accommodate 350 people in the church room, also has administration offices, classrooms, exhibition areas and a parochial area.

Above: side elevation

Architect team: schmidt hammer lassen architects, Link Arkitektur A/S
Client: The Municipality of Alta
Area: 1,917 sqm
Construction sum: €16.2 million
Competition: 2001, 1st prize in restricted architecture competition
Status: Construction period 2009 – 2013
Engineer: Rambøll AS, Alta
Main contractor: Ulf Kivijervi AS
Art work: Peter Brandes

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As a Roman Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary, the Lady of Guadalupe is a popular image in Mexican culture and the architects explain how they were invited to design a Catholic Church devoted to her image.

The proposals show a billowing concrete structure with an undulating skirt of 27 clearly defined pleats.

Above: the Lady of Guadalupe and all 27 Latin American virgins - click above for larger image

Inside the building, small sanctuaries will be framed within these pleats, each containing an effigy of one of the other 27 Latin American virgins. "We preferred to open the proposal to other Latin American cultures as well, having represented all the 27 Latin American virgins," said the architects.

Above: concept - click above for larger image and key

A twisted tower will provide a spire over the chapel's altar and will feature a stained-glass skylight decorated with an image of the Lady of Guadalupe.

Above: plan concept - click above for larger image and key

The architects intend this image to project down onto visitors sat in the sunken assembly hall, to "stress the connection with the sky" and "represent the contrast between earth and heaven".

Above: exploded axonometric diagram - click above for larger image

Additional rooms will be located beneath the seating areas and will include a sacristy, offices and a small library.

Above: sky connection concept - click above for larger image and key

FREE is best-known for the design of the anvil-shaped Museo Soumaya in Mexico, which opened last year.

Above: stack ventilation scheme - click above for larger image and key

See more places of worship on Dezeen, including a cross-shaped chapel in Brazil and a stark concrete church in China.

Above: roof light section - click above for larger image and key

Here's some more information from FREE:

Miami Chapel, Florida, USA

Designing a congregation space for the Miami Catholic community requires an understanding of the identity of a multicultural group and the ability to translate it into a representative building.

Above: traditional plan comparison - click above for larger image and key

We were asked to design a Catholic Church devoted to the Mexican Virgin Our Lady of Guadalupe. FREE chose to incorporate other Latin American cultures as well, by representing all 27 Latin American Virgins.

Above: masterplan - click above for larger image

The 27 Virgins are accommodated around Our Lady of Guadalupe’s figure, creating 27 small sanctuaries.

Above: long section - click above for larger image

In a single gesture, the extrusion of this floor plan results in an organic, corrugated form; resembling the pleats of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s cloth.

Above: short section - click above for larger image

The vertical shape stands out of its context, and the volume is rotated towards the corner for more visibility.

Above: car circulation diagram - click above for larger image

A roof light at the top filters natural light into the congregation space, projecting the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the presbytery.

Above: pedestrian and bicycle circulation diagram - click above for larger image

The main entrance distributes to the main congregation space, ambulatory, confessionals and community service area in the level below. At the rear, a reserved area contains the sacristy, preparation and changing rooms, offices, small library and working spaces for the priest and personnel.

Above: structural analysis - click above for larger image

The iconic shape performs an acoustic filter and dramatizes the ecumenical atmosphere of the church, outlining its identity in the metropolitan area of Miami.

Above: facade texture - click above for larger image

Competition 1st. prize
Program: Cultural
Size: 3,500 m2
Date: 2012-2013
Collaborators: None
Status: Ongoing

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by FREE appeared first on Dezeen.

Above: photograph is by Nils Petter Dale

The architects won an international competition back in 2004 to design the new church for the parish of Bøler, a suburb to the south-east of the Norwegian capital.

Brick steeples mark the opposite corners of the church, one of which is also a bell-tower.

 

The copper-clad end facade projects forwards and upwards to give an angled wall and ceiling to the church hall contained on the first floor at one end.

Behind this hall, the building steps upward to wrap around a large entrance courtyard, while a congregation hall and chapel are housed on the opposite side.

The dark brick walls are exposed inside the rooms of the building and the ceilings are wooden.

This year we've also featured a concrete church in Tenerife and a faceted church hall in Austria.

See more stories about churches on Dezeen »

Photography is by Layla Meyrick/Velour, apart from where otherwise stated.

Here's some more information from Hansen/Bjørndal Architects:

Bøler church

The new Bøler church is the result of an open architectural competition in 2004.

Above: photograph is by Nils Petter Dale

The church stretches across a falling terrain, with the main functions either elevated on a plateau (church hall), on ground level (congregation hall) or dug into the ground (chapel).

A sheltering side wing of brick protects the functions from the traffic and the raised rail tracks to the east. The church patio is reached through a gateway, and opens up to the surrounding nature.

Above: photograph is by Nils Petter Dale

The main church hall is entered through an anteroom, and the ceiling lifts towards the far wall. The glazed areas of the sidewalls give glimpses of the nature outside and the shifting seasons.

Above: photograph is by Nils Petter Dale

The main spaces are oriented vertically and connected by a processional axis.

Above: photograph is by Nils Petter Dale

Administrative and support functions are located in the side wings.

Click above for larger image

There is a parish kindergarten and a youth club in the lower level.

Click above for larger image

The main roof structure is steel, supported by concrete columns and concealed by a timber ceiling inside, and copper cladding on the outside.

Click above for larger image

The side wings are load bearing brick carrying insitu concrete slabs. The flat roofs have a green sedum covering.

Click above for larger image

Landscaping: Trifolia landskapsarkitekter
Art (fordelingshall): Barbro Raen Thomassen
Art (glass behind the alter): Thomas Hestvold
Concrete art (side alter): Benedikte Wedset

Click above for larger image

Click above for larger image

Click above for larger image

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Hansen/Bjørndal Architects appeared first on Dezeen.

Completed in 2008 by Spanish architect Fernando Menis of Menis Arquitectos, the church comprises four chunky concrete volumes separated from one another by sliced openings.

Two overlapping cracks in the building’s end wall create a large cross-shaped window that is visible from within the nave.

Gabion walls inside the building also create partitions between rooms.

This is the second concrete church we've featured in recent months - see our earlier story about one on the side of a mountain in China.

Photography is by Simona Rota.

Here's some more text from Menis Arquitectos:

Church in La Laguna

This is a project located in the city of La Laguna on the Island of Tenerife. It is a place
that encourages reflection, a meditation space, an intrinsic space where a person of
any condition can go to find himself in the temple or join with others in the cultural
center.

The building exists as a large piece of concrete split and cut into four large volumes,
at these separations movement occurs. This space creates light, allowing to enter
and penetrating into the space, they exist as if to signify a higher meaning inspiring a
spiritual presence and sense of tranquility.

The building stands stark, stripped of superfluous elements that involve distractions far from its spiritual essence. The void has been sculpted to the same extent. The balance of proportions of void and building was vital to developing the identity of the project.

We chose to exploit the properties of concrete, based on its isotropic nature energy efficiency is optimized by the thermal inertia of the walls. The building also gets a better acoustics result; thanks to a combination of concrete and local volcanic stones called picón, which is chopped afterwards and acts as a rough finish that has a degree of sound absorption that is superior to conventional concrete.

Exterior, interior, structure, form, material and texture are joined inextricably by a complex study of the concrete.

The volumetric impact of the building and its use of essential materials, treating concrete as if it were liquid stone capturing waterfalls of light, create the temple while also optimizing economic resources. The space reflects timeless emotion.

Location: Los Majuelos, San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
Use: Social Center and Church.
Site Area: 550 m2
Total Constructed Area: 1.050 m2
Cost: 600.000 €
Structure: Reinforced concrete
Materials: Reinforced concrete, local stone, golden sheet.
Status: completed Social Center (2005-2008); under construction Church (2005-..)
Client: Holy Redeemer Parish.

Architect: Fernando Menis
Office: Menis Arquitectos

Project Team: Maria Berga, Niels Heinrich, Andreas Weihnacht
Construction Management: Juan Bercedo, Maria Berga, Roberto Delgado, Niels Heinrich, Sergio Bruns (2006-2007), Andreas Weihnacht

Support Staff: Andrés Pedreño, Rafael Hernández (quantity surveyors), Pedro Cerdá (acoustics), Ojellón Ingenieros, Milian Associats, Nueva Terrain SL (services)
Construction: Construcciones Carolina
Client: Obispado de Tenerife

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by Menis Arquitectos appeared first on Dezeen.