SPIRITUAL ARCHITECTURE IN RONCHAMP AND LA TOURRETTE - Essay Example

?2d. What techniques in form and material does Le Corbusier use to achieve spiritual architecture in Ronchamp and La Tourrette? Use precise sources Introduction Among the great and unique buildings that Le Corbusier constructed, two structures will be discussed in this essay. The first is Notre Dame du Haut, a church constructed at Ronchamp in France, hereafter called Ronchamp. The other is the Sainte Marie de La Tourette, a Convent for teachers and students at Lyon, France hereafter called La Tourette. While the structures of Le Corbusiner can be analysed from different perspectives, this essay will discuss the techniques in form and material that were used for the two structures to achieve spiritual architecture. 1. Analysis of Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp Constructed in 1955, the Ronchamp structure follows the 'Expressionist Modern' modern style. The structure is built using concrete, glass and wood. The story behind the structure is that the original 4th church was destroyed in WW II. It is important to know that the church was a reformist church. This means that the clergy and the priests who managed and preached at the church wanted a modern structure. The wanted the spirit of the church to clear the decadent past when the structure was full of ornamental embellishments with stained glass, spires and other gothic features. Le Corbusier had to build a church that reflects modern art and modern architecture with spatial purity. However, Corbusier, in keeping with his own style wanted to focus on increasing available space1. The spirituality of the architecture can be seen in the the style he adopted for the interiors He used the illusion of increased space by using curves and interplaying light with shadows so that the depth of the room seemed to be more than it really was. The materials he has used extensively are concrete, stone, glass and wood to a small extent. The windows are arranged in sporadic pattern and in the form of puncturing apertures on the wall. This helps to amplify the light emerging from the chapel since the windows are tapered in the well cavity. Each wall is illuminated by the window frames that differ in light. The space behind the altar is thus given a speckled pattern like a star filled night with sparse openings. These openings are placed along with larger apertures above the cross. A flood of light is emitted that falls on the cross creating a transformative experience for the visitor. This gives the spiritual architecture where the light of god is brought into the chapel2. 1.1. Analysis of form of Ronchamp The church has a simple design and it has two entrances. The main pulpit has a main altar and three chapels placed under the towers. Concrete is used in abundance in the structure and the use of steel reinforcement allowed Corbusier to create an upturned and curving roof that is supported by slender columns placed in the walls. The appearance of the roof is like a sail that is blowing on the windy currents of a stormy sea. This point is emphasised by the junction where the left and right walls converge and the shape seems like the curved hull of a ship. Le Corbusier has strived to bring the spiritual perspective of the reformist church into the structure. The new church is seen as the ship of the God that sails the stormy seas and carries its flock to salvation and safety. In the inside areas, space is created between the roofs and the walls. This has a number of clerestory windows with asymmetric light that falls from the openings in the wall. This helps to bring into sharp notice about the sacred role of the church and helps to create the relation between the building and the surroundings. By using concrete effectively to create recessed windows, a soft and indirect lighting emerges. This reflects off from the white walls of the church. The small windows ensure that minimum lighting falls on the congregation areas even in day light. During night, small lights behind the windows help to create a diffused lighting inside the prayer and sermon area. Corbusier did not want to make the place very complicated and he wanted the interiors to inspire people to meditate and reflect. The white washed walls stand in stark contrast to the darkness inside and this contributes to the mental purity. Small alcoves and windows along the walls being in light that is not harsh and glaring but soft and diffused. This structure allows those praying inside to continue their meditation without disturbance. The mixture of light, diffused lighting, the ray of light from the top and the appearance of the structure as a ship all bring the effect of spiritual architecture into play. A devote Christian who has come on a pilgrimage to the church is overawed by the piety, symbolism and the associated holiness of the place3. 1.2. Analysis of materials of Ronchamp The main components are two concrete membranes that are spaced at a distance of about seven feet. These membranes form a shell that makes the roof. Concrete is used very extensively and the roof is made watertight while it insulates the structures from the win, rain and snow. Short struts are used to support the roof. These form the vertical concrete surface additionally covered with gunite. The struts also support the old stone walls of the earlier chapel that was partially destroyed in WWII. These walls do not have any buttresses and they have a curvilinear form that is designed as per precise calculations and provide stability4. There is a gap of several inches between the roof shell and the vertical envelop of the wall. This gap allows sunlight to enter the chapel. The structure is constructed atop a hill, this allows the chapel floor to follow the natural contours, and slope of the hill as it leads to the altar. The altar itself is a thing of beauty and some parts are made with white Bourgogne stone. The towers are also made of stone masonry but given a cap of cement. A cement gun with compressed air was used to spray cement and mortar on the vertical parts of the chapel. The concrete shell is given a rough and natural rough finish. Built up roofing with exterior cladding of aluminium is used to provide water tightness. The interior walls are whitewashed white while the ceiling is kept grey. Benches are made of African wood to bring nativity into effect while the communion bench is made of cast iron5. The southern wall has some novel and unique use of concrete. The wall is 50 centimetres thick and it begins from a point on the east end. Then it gradually increases to a section of 10 feet thick on the west side. As the wall moves from the east to west a curve is seen towards the south side. This use of different sections of the concrete provides an increase in the depth of the structure. By using thinner reinforcements, the section has been given a continuously varying thickness. The ingenious use of concrete is seen in the windows placed in the walls. The windows are placed such that they slant towards their centres with different degrees of inclination. This allows light to enter at different angles. Glass is also used to close the windows and these are set at alternating depths. The glass used is clear in some areas while in others it has small pieces of decorated coloured glass pieces embedded inside. Colours such as yellow, green and red are used. With the interplay of diffused light entering the room, the coloured glass pieces appear like rubies, amethysts and emeralds6. With such a beauty included in the wall, Corbusier decided not make this a load-bearing wall. He added concrete columns to support the roof. This gives the appearance that the roof floats over the space of the wall. To retain the divinity of the ancient church that had been destroyed, rubble form the old chapel was used to fill the inside of the wall. This act ensured that the old church and the new church remained united in spirit and physical form7. Stained glass is also used in other parts of the wall where the pieces are embedded deep inside. When the lights are on in the chapel or when sunlight diffuses inside, these embedded glass pieces glow like rubies and emeralds. Since this church is a pilgrimage spot, people always at worship inside. On special feast days, thousands of people come to the church to pray. The original statue of the Virgin Mary that was saved in the bombing is mounted in a special glass in the wall. An outside altar is also built with a pulpit. The large crowds can pray in the vast grounds on the hill and the statue is then turned to face the outside crowd8. The use of concrete with supporting pillars for the roof gives the appearance that the roof floats above the wall. A thin gap allows light to enter the gap and this gives a halo effect to the roof. The concrete roof in the form of a billowing sail slopes to the back. Rainwater gathers on the curving roof and cascades to abstract concrete forms placed slanted on the ground. When the rainwater pours on to these forms, it creates a beautiful fountain and looks like a ship on sail in stormy seas9. 2. Analysis of Sainte Marie de La Tourette La Tourette is a priory of the Dominican order constructed at Lyon in France and completed in 1960. The construction follows the Modernist, International style and represents a fine mixture of the use of concrete and natural light to increase the feeling and depth of space. 2.1. Analysis of form of Sainte Marie de La Tourette The structure has a hundreds rooms where priests, teachers and students study, pray and sleep. Also included in the complex are study halls, a recreation room, refectory and a library. A church is also built in the complex and the whole complex is connected with circulation aisle. Some of the monk’s cells are acoustically isolated and loggias are used at two levels at the top of the building. The side chapel at the main church allows the monks to congregate at their personal altar that are in the shape of a block and table rising from six platforms10. The spiritual effect of the architecture comes from the altar blocks and the play of natural light. The blocks symbolise the ascent from earth to the heavens that the monks take. The altar also stands for the Christ in his sacrament coming down to the altar and giving rise to hope. The lower ceiling is inclined and brings the monks loser to the earth. Space on the lower floor is seen to bulge out and rise to the sloping landscape. Domes of light appear from the top and pour on the coloured walls. The whole appearance is that of light guns that help to create a unique space between the monks, the earth and the sky11. 2.2. Analysis of materials of Sainte Marie de La Tourette The structure sees a large use of concrete, stone and glass and these are inline with Corbusier practice of combining these materials to achieve the illusion of space and natural light. The structural frame and all load bearing surfaces are made of reinforced concrete. Glass is used extensively on the external facade to bring in natural light. The glass panes on the external surfaces are made with the pattern of ‘pans de verre ondulatoire’ or glass with undulating surfaces. This pattern was also used in the Secretariat building of Chandigarh, India. This pattern of glass magnifies the appearance of inner spaces so that the rooms appear bigger and roomier than they really are12. The panels of glass also allow the maximum light to enter and for air to spin as it enters the rooms. Slits in the concrete structure also provide for the corridors in the cells to be lighted with horizontal openings. The garden court of the structure is made of large concrete structures that reach from the floor to the ceiling. These are perforated and have glazed voids. These are further separated from each other by means of ventilators. The ventilators are vertical slits with a cover of mosquito netting and that have a pivoting shutter13. The monk’s cells are made of concrete with horizontal slits on the roofs and sides. This allows light and fresh air inside. The interiors have a wooden study table and a cupboard along with a small patio and book lined walls. The cells are centred as repetitive units around the courtyard and they use of natural light creates powerful and well-lit spaces. Concrete walls are painted over in places with white paint and in some places; the original rough finish is retained. Concrete pillars rise around the church until they seen to tower over the other structures14. While the church is slightly taller than the rest of the building, the use of massive concrete pillars, lack of openings and location separate it from the other parts of the building and makes it seem much more imposing than other. The use of glass to allow natural light to fall on the church and the rooms makes the structure to rise powerfully above the rest of the building. The use of light and concrete give the structure the appearance of an open ended tunnel space and bring to fore many important concepts from Corbusier 5 points of architecture. The vertical soleils are used along with light cannons that pierce the solid masonry walls. The windows made of concrete and stone are separated by modular cells that create more depth for the room15. Bibliography Anne Benthues. 2004. Manfred Leier. ed. 100 most beautiful cathedrals of the world: A journey through five continents. New Jersey: Chartwell Books. pp. 52-58. Anton Hence. 19664. La Tourette, The Le Corbusier Monastery. London: Humphries & Co. pp. 11-14 Deborah Gans. 1987. The Le Corbusier Guide. Princeton: Princeton Architectural Press. pp. 45-48 Ezra Stoller. 1999. The Chapel at Ronchamp. Building Blocks. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. pp. 67-69 Francis D. K. Ching. 1979. Architecture: Form, Space, and Order. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, pp. 45-49 Hans Girsberger. 1959. Le Corbusier 1910-60. New York: George Wittenborn. p. 240-243 Kidder Smith. 1990. Looking at Architecture. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Publishers. pp. 160-167. Lannis Xenakis. 1987. Le Corbusier, The Monastery of La Tourette. USA: Princeton University Press. pp. 142-162 Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman. 1986. Architecture, from Prehistory to Post-Modernism. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, pp. 542-549 Peter Serenyi. 1975. Le Corbusier in Perspective. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. pp. 64-67 Roger H. Clark and Michael Pause. 1985. Precedents in Architecture. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. pp. 85-92 Voo Moos Stanislaus. 1979. Le Corbusier, Elements of a Synthesis. pp. 164-166 Willy Boesiger. 1996. Le Corbusier: Complete Works. Cambridge, Masschusetts: Birkhauser Publications. pp. 123-128 William Curtis. 1986. Le Corbusier: Ideas and Forms. Oxford: Phaidon. pp. 134-139 William S. Saunders. 1990. Modern Architecture: Photographs by Ezra Stoller. New York: Harry N. Abrams. pp. 170-174 Read More