Prayer Chapel By
Gensler
A wave-like wooden ceiling undulates above the heads of students
at this chapel by architects Gensler in the basement of a Los
Angeles university.
Despite being located within the rectangular confines of an
old classroom, the chapel has curved walls and not a single corner.
Architect David Herjeczki explains how he was inspired by the
thick black outlines of poché-style plans. "The design is conceived as a
'heavy' space deliberately set apart from, but fully formed within, the host
classroom building," he said.
Recycled strips of timber were mixed with wood
harvested from olive trees around the campus to create the
uneven finish of the chapel's timber ceiling.
"The choice of such recycled wood is consistent with the
poor and primitive sensibility of the chapel, but materially it provides a rich
contrast to the fundamental nature of the space," said Herjeczki.
A narrow skylight creates a band of light across the ceiling at
one end and illuminated glass blocks create brightly coloured windows
in the curved interior walls, but offer no views to the rooms beyond.
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