Elements of a Chapel. Procession, Transition, Materiality

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1 Elements of a Chapel Procession, Transition, Materiality

2 Title Elements of a Chapel Procession, Transition, Materiality I

Elements of a Chapel By David Roland Connerley Thesis submitted to the faculty of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment for the

3 Elements of a Chapel By David Roland Connerley Thesis submitted to the faculty of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment for the degree of Masters of Architecture Committee Chairperson Hunter Pittman Committee Member Donald Sunshine Committee Member Mario Cortes Blacksburg, Virginia October 25, 2002 II

4 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my family and friends for their support and understanding. I would also like to thank my committee members for their guidance, patience, and insight into my project. In memory of my father DeLeroy Connerley. IIIpage4

Contents Title page I Signature page II Acknowledgements III Contents IV Abstract 1 Introduction 3 Dialog 4 Site 10 Inspiratoin 14 Symbolism and entry 22 Building elements 24 Main Floor plan 24

5 Contents Title page I Signature page II Acknowledgements III Contents IV Abstract 1 Introduction 3 Dialog 4 Site 10 Inspiratoin 14 Symbolism and entry 22 Building elements 24 Main Floor plan 24 Second floor 29 Seating arrangement 30 Spatial relationships 34 Vertical reletionships 36 Curvilinear structural relationships 38 Roof spatial relationship 40 Roof structure and symbolism 42 Computer models 46 Computer Render 48 Site rendering 50 Bibliography 55 IV

7 Abstract Traditionally the role of a Chapel is to offer society a place to worship, find solitude, sanctuary, spiritual enlightenment, religious fulfillment, and its inspiration. In an effort to reinforce and accentuate these experiences, this project explores the architectural concepts of procession, transition, and materiality of a Chapel. 1

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9 Introduction Traditionally, poets, scholars, and clergy have referred to chapels and churches as houses of God, houses of worship, and/or even metaphorically as a cosmic mountain that reaches from heaven to earth allowing spiritual communication and oneness with one's own God. The metaphor is a correlation between the spiritual and the physical world, a connection between the mountains and the heavens, a sanctuary from all the inequities of the world. So how does an Architect integrate and choreograph these religious and spiritual relationships into a chapel's environment? How does a chapel communicate and inspire these relationships to its parishioner, and/or its community? Questions like these are at the heart and soul of every chapel. In this project I attempt to create and convey the heart and soul of the chapel through the correlation of major and minor elements. The major element is procession. Webster's dictionary defines procession as the act of moving from one state to another state. In this project, I define procession as the chronological sequencing of individual elements along a given path that makes up the whole processional experience. The minor elements are those individual elements that are experienced along that path. More specifically, transitions, materiality, lighting, texturing, and sequencing are some of the minor elements that are experienced along the path. They are the essential elements that are blended and integrated into the chapel environment. To create this holistic experience you must blend and/or activate any essential characteristics of the building sites, in essence you are creating a dialog and/or formal language between the processional path, the chapel and its environment. To do this you must interpret and understand the characteristic, natural dialog and any formal language that your building site provides. 3

10 Dialog For clarity and understanding of these terms let's take a moment and analyze the photograph of the majestic Swiss Alps. Right away you begin to understand just how this metaphoric correlation between the mountains and the heavens came to be. The mountains seem to reach out and embrace the sky. The mountain tops and/or edges becomes a stage (the blue line) that allows the sky to dance along its snow covered ridges, peaks, and valleys through out its daily ritual. The stage represents a transition, natural dialog, and formal language that exists between the mountains and the sky. The sky travels along the stage, experiencing its peaks, valleys, and ridges, and at the same time provides a dynamic back ground which gives clarity and depth to the mountains. This process is a natural symbiotic dialog between the mountains and the sky. One accentuates and depends on the other. The contour of the stage provides information about the formal language as well. The peaks, valleys, and ridges create a dynamic curvilinear relationship. 4

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12 6 If we look at Mario Botta's design of the chapel Monte Tamaro we can begin to see some of these transformational relationships taking place. By looking at the plan we see that it's fairly apparent that the staircase at the beginning of the bridge is the first formal transition, the beginning of the procession path and dialog between the site and the building. As you travel down the processional path by crossing the bridge you get a spectacular view of the Swiss Alps, it is a celebration of dialog between the processional path, the building and the mountain view. Also the texture and materiality of the building (the stone) as well, allows you to become part of the mountain and/ or mountain view itself. It makes the building and the processional path feel like you were walking up to the very edge of a cliff and then reverses direction and takes you down the side of the building to a more formal entrance of the chapel.

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The surrounding woods puts the processional path in compression as you traverse down the path and

15 In the Thorn Crown chapel the processional path lies on the major axis and is completely secluded by the surrounding woods. The surrounding woods puts the processional path in compression as you traverse down the path and transition into the chapel. The stopping state of the procession is clearly the large rock outside at the end of the chapel which can be seen from within the chapel

16 Site The project site is just east of Blacksburg about a mile past the corporate limits at the end of Clay Street where the blacktop turns to gravel as it passes through a small little wooded area. On the other side of the woods the road begins to stretch out to encounter the 270 to 360 degree mountain view. It offer its travelers a moment of solitude and reflection and is the beginning of the processional path. This is the same type of dialog and experience you get as you cross the bridge at Mounte Tamaro. 10

17 9 Day dreaming beside a path of yellow sand as life flows by. What is more beautiful than the road? 11

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19 The parking lot is a stopping state for the road but only another transitional state in the processional path. Its the place where we begin to interact personally with that processional path, we get out of our cars and we walk the rest of the path. The path between the parking lot and the building is where you begin interacting more personally with the building procession. You begin to process the characteristics of the building, texture, color, mass, symbolism, height, and direction. It s the invitation to the public. 13

20 Inspiration Symbolically the hands represent unity between the religious, spiritual, and physical world. They also express power, unity, purity, elegance, and were inspirational in my project. 14

21 Symbolism 10 The ROAD which lies open to lead us to God is Mary, 11 via whom traveled to the lodge with us all. 15

22 Formal language The curvilinear relationship is the formal language that is expressed in these early photographs, models, and drawings of the project

23 Curvilinear 13 17

24 Curvilinear 14 18

25 Mass and Materiality 19

26 20 Texture and Materiality

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28 Symbolism and Entry The entry is a transition in the processional path and an invitation to the public

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30 24 Main floor plan

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35 Second floor plan 29

36 Seating Arrangement 16 30

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40 34 Spatial Relationship

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42 36 Vertical Relationships

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44 38 Curvilinear Structure and Relationships

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46 40 Roof and Spatial Relationships

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48 42 Roof Structure and Symbolism

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The small high windows are designed to allow light to enter in and spread out through the sanctuary giving the front of the chapel its own presence,and becomes part of the processional stopping state.

51 The small high windows are designed to allow light to enter in and spread out through the sanctuary giving the front of the chapel its own presence,and becomes part of the processional stopping state. The windows are also located directly beneath the main cross section of the roof structure, in essence allowing it to float on incoming streams of light, and revealing the spiritual substructure. 45

52 46 Computer Models

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54 48 Computer Renderings

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56 50 Site Renderings

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60 IIustrations 12-13) Scottsburg United Methodist Church, 615 Honeyrun Pkwy, Scottsburg, In Photographs taken by David Connerely. 14) Frances Hundley Houston Memorial Chapel, Randolph-Macon Woman's College, Vincent Kling, architect, ,Photographs taken by David Connerely.. 15,16, 17) Randolph-Macon Woman's College, Photographs taken by David Connerely. 54

61 Bibliography 1-2) Botta, Mario & Cucchi, Enzo. The Capel of Monte Tamaro, (la Capperlla del Monte Tamaro), Umberto Allemandi & C page 82. 3) Botta, Mario & Cucchi, Enzo. The Capel of Monte Tamaro, (la Capperlla del Monte Tamaro), Umberto Allemandi & C page 46. 4) Botta, Mario & Cucchi, Enzo. The Capel of Monte Tamaro, (la Capperlla del Monte Tamaro), Umberto Allemandi & C page ) Botta, Mario & Cucchi, Enzo. The Capel of Monte Tamaro, (la Capperlla del Monte Tamaro), Umberto Allemandi & C page ) Jones, Fay and Associates / Gandee, K. Charles. Thorncrown Chapel, Architectural record March, 1981, v.169, no.4, p.[88]-[93]. 7) 8) 9) Jones, Fay and Associates / Gandee, K. Charles. Thorncrown Chapel, Architectural record March, 1981, v.169, no.4, p.[88]-[93]. Jones, Fay and Associates / Gandee, K. Charles. Thorncrown Chapel, Architectural record March, 1981,v.169, no.4, p.[88]-[93]. Bachelard, Gaston, The poetics of Space, Beacon Press 1999ed, p11. 10) Botta, Mario & Cucchi, Enzo. The Capel of Monte Tamaro, (la Capperlla del Monte Tamaro), Umberto Allemandi & C page ) Botta, Mario & Cucchi, Enzo. The Capel of Monte Tamaro, (la Capperlla del Monte Tamaro), Umberto Allemandi & C page

62 Vita David Roland Connerley Born: 10 February, 1956, Waterloo, Iowa Education: December 2002 May 1992 May 1990 Masters of Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from The University of Iowa. Associate of Arts from Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Work: Blue Ridge Timberwrights, Christiansburg, VA. Architect Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA. Computer Programmer Huff Construction, Waterloo, IA. Carpenter. December 2002 Blacksburg, Virginia 56

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