Portal for Japanese minimalist architecture

When I was young, I traveled following “Le Corbusier”.

I was totally impressed the “Senaque Abbay” located in Provance, south France, a architecture’s sacred ground.  And I wholeheartedly visited convents so called ‘ three sisters of Provance ‘.

I returned to Lyon, where I visited “La Tourette Monastery” deeply impressed by the perfect combination of light and darkness.  I could not move, just I was looking at the lights coming from the glasses of the convent.

“La Chapelle de Ronchamp” was my final destination.  One sunny day I found it quietly standing like a swan just flew down on the ground.  There was sufficient light coming down inside like a shower, which has been totally took into account as effect.  I have never experienced such situation in my whole life, felt like I received a great gift as a finale of my long journey, and I strongly talked to myself that someday, I wanted to design an architecture that would move people’s emotion.

I want to design architecture powerful and strong but have beauty in them.

I want to create architecture full of lights.

After years later, I was requested to design a small church in Kochi, thus I thought I would take this opportunity to realize what I had been nursing for a long time, in other words, interpreted what had moved me in my journey in Ronchamp;  an architecture like a swan flew over, an architecture shows different images as light changes in a day, an architecture that has a power to change one’s everyday life to a moment of celebration and special.  It is my utmost pleasure if my church could make assists a happy moment of happy couples.

I named my Church as ‘Modern Ronchamp’.

floor plan

west elevation

south elevation

architects: YASUI HIDEO ATELIER
location: Kochi, Kochi Prefecture, Japan
function: chapel
project team: Hideo Yasui (architect in charge)
construction: KISHINOUE KOMUTEN Co.,LTD.
site area: 248.09 m²
built area: 182.02 m²
total floor area: 182.02 m²
structural system: reinforced concrete (1F)
materials: tiles, glass
design period: January 2007 – April 2007
construction period: May 2007 – October 2007
photographs: Nacasa & Partners Inc. _ courtesy of YASUI HIDEO ATELIER

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