[27 Nov 2007|09:47am] The Christ Pavilion is a combined contribution of the Catholic and Protestant Churches for the Expo 2000 in Hanover, Germany. The Pavilion is described by its designer, Meinhard von Gerkan of Marg und Partners to be a "contemplative counterpart to the vanity fair with architectural highlights." The architects of the practice Marg und Partners, expressed their interest in their practice's philosophy to "design in such a reduced form, that the reslts endure content and time." They want their simplicity to say something about whatever they're designing and I think this manifests itself in the Christ pavilion. It is extremely simple in structure, reduced to very few materials but the form makes this unmistakable in its visual beauty, its appearance and its spatial atmosphere. What I feel is perhaps the most exciting part of this experimental architecture is its similarity to traditional Christian architecture in terms of its spatial atmosphere, its atmospheric lighting and unmistakable appearance. However, the building has a personality of its own. It breaks away from the dogmatic notion of religious architecture and braves an exciting new space to learn, relax and reflect. The surrounding “cloister” is equipped with a double glass facade, used as large-scale showcases. If ever less was truly more, there’s no better example than the radically austere Christ Pavilion, Expo 2000 Hanover. The exterior walls of this near cube are clad, floor to ceiling, in glass. The interior walls are clad in enormous sheaths of custom mesh, shielding the interior from the sun while at the same time promoting a sense of inner serenity. The space between is filled with materials of various origins: from nature with coal, rush, bamboo, wood strips, poppyheads, feathers etc. From technology: with toothed wheels, tea-strainers, hoses, lighters, one-way syringes. Depending on the filling the walls are more or less translucent, partially also transparent; consequently the light atmosphere is modified and varies dramatically along the cloister. The complete complex with the exception of the crypt, the colonnade and the water basin was disassembled after the EXPO world exhibition and reassembled in the cloister grounds of Volkenroda in 2001. In this place, the Jesus confraternity works on the reconstruction of the oldest maintained Cistercian cloister in Germany. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- In building Christ Pavilion, architects von Gerkan and Zais achieved the improbable: the creation of a beautiful, sacred space that is, essentially, a modular prefab design. Originally built for the Expo 2000 in Hanover, Germany, the pavilion is constructed of marble-coated glass, steel, and concrete. The slabs of marble, a material common in traditional religious structures, are cut so thin that they are translucent, allowing light to filter into the interior. For those who couldn't physically attend the Expo, there was a virtual tour that allowed remote worshippers to light a virtual candle at the altar, among other rituals. Following the Expo, the Pavilion was entirely dismantled and rebuilt on the grounds of the Monastery at Volenroda, a then-derelict abbey originally founded in 1131. --------------------------------------------------------------- It is often claimed that divinity can be found in even the simplest and most ordinary objects of everyday life. In most cases, and the Christ Pavilion is no exception, light is the key ingredient in creating an atmosphere of a higher being. The visitors to the expo 2000 were greeted with a sanctuary for reflection and spiritual peace created by Marg und Partners lumination of the steel skeletal places created inside the Christ Pavilion. In an interview, Von Gerkan, the principal designer of the Christ Pavilion stated that ''The spatial atmosphere of all areas of the project is created by the modulation of light.'' The lighting designer for the project was Manfred Draxl, alongside Von Gerkan achieved an excellent ambience inside the structures which reflected the idea of the quiet contemplation that the pavilion is designed for. The semi transparent materials that fill the skeletal structure allow the building to become a sculptural form using light to its advantage. I see the structure as a beacon, reflecting the idea of walking into the light of Christianity - a refuge from the darkness. The crisp and streamline architecture of a type of structure that is usually extremely rigid in its design is what makes the Christ Pavilion so astonishing and this is furthered by its extremely sensitive lighting scheme that is beautifully integrated into the buildings structure to make the most of its design. In order to create their desired effect and ensure precise performance, Draxl and Von Gerkan included nearly twenty different types of custom light fixtures, often concealing them cleverly in ceiling planes or in coves. The beautiful ambience created by the light is down to indirect illumination and diffuse washes of light which accentuate some of the pavilions most beautiful structural features and creates a real sense of expansiveness allowing the users to feel liberated and at one with themselves and their spirit. These features are most apparent in the Christ Hall where electric 90W halogen spotlights wrap themselves around the 9 cruciform columns that form the hall and allow light to drain down the vertical columns, softening the hard surfaces of the steel which heighten the ethereal nature of the Christ Hall but also follow close to the height and ambience of traditional Catholic buildings. In addition, 54W fluorescent wall-washers are concealed in the roof planes to created a feeling that the room has been completely whitewashed creating a celestial feel to the space and a feeling of immortality. The spatial atmosphere of all areas is created by a modulation of light. The “Christ Hall“ receives light from top-lights centrally located above the column heads, emphasizing the vertical quality of the slender columns. The surrounding surfaces of thinly cut marble laminated with glass form a light-transmissive envelope, its lively colours creating a spatial atmosphere. In contrast to this the lighting emphasis in the “crypt”. The Crypt which was located below the Christ Hall at the Expo in Hanover, was an extremely dramatic counterpoint to the rest of the spaces that were operating at ground level. The feeling that is evoked by the lighting sets an emotional pitch that speaks to the function of the space. The sense of being underground is emphasized and the idea of going into oneself for profound contemplation is emphasised by the form of the room. The fluorescent striplights that detail the axes of the room above appear as narrow strips of daylight set into the low concrete ceilings in the cavey space that reminds oneself of their seperation for personal contemplation and add an essence of mystery and solemnity to the space. The large glass crucifix, which glowed with the light of 70W ceramic metal halide fixtures mounted at its cross beam and at night, served as a compelling signature for the pavilion, is also missing, having been re-erected at a parish center in Hanover. However, set against the history-rich tapestry of Volkenroda, the Christ Pavilion in its current incarnation, luminous and thoroughly modern, is perhaps a powerful enough signal of the continuing viability of Christianity in today's world. respond

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