Architect
Architecturestudio NOAN
Completion
2020
Gross area
50 m²
Category
Assembly buildings
Tags
sacred wood
The plot, elongated with a typically 1970s hip roof building, was extended in 1998. An old log-built scout hut and sauna are situated by the lake at the opposite end of the plot. The chapel is located between these two existing buildings, close to the waterfront. It can be seen from the water, but otherwise, it blends in with the surrounding landscape. Traditional construction techniques were used, including a well-ventilated timber structure, a board roof, and a tarred finish. However, a contemporary feel and cohesive form were also desired for the chapel, adding a new temporal layer to the site.
The chapel itself is intended to invite passers-by in for a moment of quiet reflection. Sacred spaces are envisioned as open and welcoming places of discovery, which is why no institutional symbols are attached to the outside of the building. The roofline sweeps low, creating pleasing proportions. There are no eaves, resulting in a streamlined appearance.Places of worship serve a twin purpose: they are venues for joyous, shared occasions and offer succor to individuals in need. This notion guided the design process. The curved roof beams form a stiffening structure, and as the space is quite small, there was a focus on keeping the beams neat and light, avoiding any transverse structures. These priorities defined the size of the beams and the choice to use a moment-resisting corner. Everything else was kept simple: the internal doors are built-in, the glass framing the altar is paired with the sliding door, and all interior walls are clad in spruce.With the ceiling beams being visually powerful and expressive, the furniture was kept simple. The seating is movable, allowing the space to be used for various purposes.
These spaces are currently in flux. In the future, the church will need to reduce the size of its estate and focus activities into the remaining buildings, especially churches. This shift resembles the post-war period when most church activities took place within the churches themselves, as there weren’t as many church halls and other communal spaces as there are now.

Source: Outtakes of Architect Lassi Viitanen’s interview by Kristo Vesikansa in Finnish Architectural Review 3/2021

Location

Approximate location

Images

Chapel entrance, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel
Chapel entrance, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel (© Noan architects)
Chapel exterior, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel
Chapel exterior, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel (© Tapio Koivula)
Chapel roof, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel
Chapel roof, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel (© ESSI NISONEN)
Chapel interior, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel
Chapel interior, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel (© ESSI NISONEN)
Tervajärvi Forest Chapel
Tervajärvi Forest Chapel (© ESSI NISONEN)
Chapel wall, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel
Chapel wall, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel (© ESSI NISONEN)
Elevation, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel
Elevation, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel (© lassi)
Section, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel
Section, Tervajärvi Forest Chapel (© Paavo Foley)

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