doshisya-kyotanÂabe-chapel / Facet Studio
DesignÂer | YoshiÂhiÂto Kashiwagi | |
LocaÂtion | Kyoto, JAPAN | |
Design Team |
YoshiÂhiÂto Kashiwagi |
|
Year | 2015 | |
PhoÂto credits |
Daichi ANO |
|
PhoÂto external
Project descripÂtion
ChrisÂtians conÂstiÂtute of mere 1% of Japan’s popÂuÂlaÂtion. We believe that there are funÂdaÂmenÂtal difÂferÂences between chapels at counÂtries where ChrisÂtianÂiÂty is the majorÂiÂty, and where it is the minorÂiÂty such as Japan; the buildÂing of chapel needs to satÂisÂfy difÂferÂent requireÂments in a conÂtext not traÂdiÂtionÂalÂly familÂiar with ChrisÂtianÂiÂty. MoreÂover, Doshisya KyotanÂabe Chapel is built on uniÂverÂsiÂty camÂpus in Japan –a uniÂverÂsiÂty foundÂed on ChrisÂtÂian moral but with mostÂly non-ChrisÂtÂian students.
We conÂsidÂered that a chapel should be an exisÂtence close to people’s everyÂday lives. In this conÂtext, a conÂvenÂtionÂal chapel with enclosed walls will no doubt furÂther isoÂlate itself from its surÂroundÂing. Thus we proÂposed a Chapel with large openÂing facÂing the outÂside world, so peoÂple can sense the inside of the Chapel withÂout even enterÂing – for examÂple by simÂply walkÂing through the CamÂpus PasÂsageÂway. From the StuÂdent Lounge on the oppoÂsite side, peoÂple can also look into the Chapel and underÂstand the activÂiÂties within.
The Water FeaÂture sandÂwichÂing the CamÂpus PasÂsageÂway creÂates a pubÂlic space which is casuÂal, but holy; it is an extraÂorÂdiÂnary space withÂin the ordiÂnarÂiÂness. By havÂing this Water FeaÂture, part of the Chapel is exterÂnalÂized and its activÂiÂties highÂly visÂiÂble, for the Chapel to natÂuÂralÂly become part of the stuÂdents’ daiÂly activÂiÂties. It is imporÂtant for the Chapel to reach out perÂsisÂtentÂly to the peoÂple, in order to become part of their everyÂday lives.
EviÂdenÂtialÂly in WestÂern counÂties amongst the youths, ChrisÂtianÂiÂty is becomÂing less and less relÂeÂvant. This could be the result of reduced interÂest towards the reliÂgiousÂness of ChrisÂtÂian activÂiÂties; howÂevÂer, can it be posÂsiÂble that the design of the chapels does not encourÂage the sense of relÂeÂvance and symÂpaÂthy between ChrisÂtianÂiÂty and the youths? Our design approach may not be the only resÂoÂluÂtion, howÂevÂer, a chapel design that proÂmotes closeÂness to everyÂday life will become increasÂingÂly imporÂtant for the modÂern society.
IllusÂtraÂtive project report
DownÂload report
TechÂniÂcal drawings