New Church Hall and Community
Center with Kindergarten
Heggebärveien 2, 2209 Kongsvinger, Oslo, Norway
Integration in the existing city block
The project is developed from the concept that the three sacred buildings, church hall, chapel and funeral chapel are distinctly recognizable at the first sight, and the other premises are integrated with the landscape. The entire Community Complex is experienced as an architectural unit with the nature. The architectural unit and the landscape are differentiated only through their materiality.
The powerful tower of the new community, on the highest point of the site, will be a clear symbol for the arrivals, with its entry highlighted and culminated towards the nave of the church hall. Through its alignment, the building structure brings about the orientation from the distance and directs the visitors on the compound. The vertical light slots in the tower create a connection between the heaven and the earth. The horizontal slot on the top part of the tower lets the sound of the the church bells, which represents the earthly life, free. In the interior nave of the church hall, there is a horizontal slot with artificial light, together with the vertical natural light, therefore creating a light cross as a symbol of the Christian faith.
The path leads the way from the parking lot to the church square on the ground level. From here, the church with the restaurant, the community centre with the management, the function hall and the kindergarten, even the funeral hall and the meditation room have access to each other. One slate lab with white gravel extends itself in the meditation room to the edge of the water pool outside, giving one an internal peace in contemplating and an external view over the valley.
The chapel of the church building stands independently by the artificial light and the natural light courtyard, yet is connected with the foyer. This, with the restaurant off the terrace, creates a functional connection between the interior and the exterior.
The community centre consists of 3 blocks, which are assimilated in this compound. The administration wing orients itself with the offices in the south. The underlying kindergarten has a roofed exterior. The terrace leads down to the bible garden.
The solid building is opened by a perforated façade, at its exterior, broken granite tiles are used. Where the glazed façade is located, there is a pole-transom system, with attached sunscreen elements in the south.
