Notre Dame du Haut Chapel

• Construction time: 1950-1954
• Location: Ronchamp, Vosges, France

The gray, flat-roofed roof is a threat to many white wall surfaces as a celebration of the mastery of light and structure of Le Corbusier. For those of you who have visited Le Corbusier's Notre Dame du Haut chapel in Ronchamp, there is no combination of content and images that can match the intense emotion in the spirit, as if there is tremendous power. from the building. This modest yet extraordinary chapel combines many of the existing influences in Le Corbusier's post-World War II architecture, showing that the sensitivity to the construction site is less obvious than the large construction works in urban areas convenient to visit. The chapel is just as important as a significant proof to Father Daniel Alain Couturier's efforts to convince the ecclesiastical teacher of the Church through ordering for the current architects and artists. Greatest talent.

Father Couturier ordered Henri Matisse to decorate the Dominican chapel in Saint Paul de Vence, but he appreciated Le Corbusier's talent and suggested to Belfort the diocesan to work with the architect instead. Notre Dame du Haut chapel was destroyed during World War II. Despite claiming to be an atheist, Le Corbusier was very sensitive to the space formed in many religious buildings he visited, so accepted orders. Later, Couturier's father asked Le Corbusier to design La Tourette monastery many times bigger than Lyon.

Environment

Located on a prominent hilltop, not far from the original village of Le Corbusier, the worshipers of the Sun God come here to worship, followed by the Romans, and finally from the Middle Ages, the house worship of pilgrims made to worship the Virgin Mary. Le Corbusier identified the construction site immediately and gradually accepted the general shape that André Maisonnier's assistant distilled and drew details.

A few staff members under the command of Maisonnier built a large chapel by hand with the regular personal guidance of Le Corbusier. The spontaneous nature of construction reflects more closely with the creation of a sculpture than a predetermined architectural work.

Le Corbusier's original sketch showed the final shape of the chapel.

From a distance, the building seems to rise from the top of the hill. As they approached the village below, the sculptural shape of the chapel gradually came out with astonishment, there was no time when visitors lost their feelings of discovery and surprise. The reason for the feeling of both drama and harmony must be very complicated, but perhaps derived from the architect's dedication to the final detail design.

Harmonization is associated with the fact that the overall ratio, pattern on the floor, window size and space - all dimensions - comes from the Modulor proportional system based on human size multiplication and response. using the gold section developed by Le Corbusier himself. The sensation of detection is maintained through the subtle development of concave, convex, rough and smooth shapes.

Structure

The three curved walls have two purposes: forming outer and inner spaces to represent a great carving work, while still giving the whole chapel a structural stability, allowing the roof and 3 chapel towers mostly bear themselves. Each of the three structural walls is made of concrete panels and the insertion layer of the masonry (stone taken from the previous chapel) and then covered with metal mesh and concrete spray. Each wall has a different texture, adding illumination to the chapel throughout the day.

Peeled chart of the chapel.Build the site of the previous chapel immediately.

The massive concrete roof, people often think was inspired by the shape of the horseshoe, which the architect admires, expressed in the fact that the lightweight concrete shell, which is related to the airplane wing at cross section. The last analogy seems appropriate when the roof is actually the "boat" that floats to the east and south facades. The supports are very small, from the outside are not visible because hidden in the dark, from the inside also do not see well because the band of bright light in the roof and walls intersect, creating the impression that the massive roof is threatening to independent walls. Le Corbusier also used this detail at La Tourette.

The gaps on the light walls and all furniture comply with the architects' size system.Stained glass is also installed by Le Corbusier. The eastern façade consists of an open altar, a pulpit and the choir where the roof is exposed to serve the crowds of pilgrims, decentralizing the ground for the eastern grass with a ring-shaped configuration. The statue of the Virgin Mary of the previous chapel placed in the alcove can be seen from both inside and outside.

Turning southward is a special light wall - a massive stone wall of 1.5-4.5m thick; Curved in diagram and smaller in cross section. Placed in a plastered stone wall are the spaces decided by Modulor, the stained glass section installed by Le Corbusier, the large southern entrance for the procession of refractory glazed iron is also designed by Le Corbusier.

Actual data:

• The middle of the church:
  - Length: 25m
  - Width: 13m
  - Maximum height at altar wall: 10m
• Height of half-awakened roof: 15 and 22m
• Materials: reinforced concrete, stone inserts, shotcrete

Harmony of light

Visitors soon discovered the work is also a giant sundial with a rich collection of textures, angles, shapes and recesses that accurately record the passage of time. The transition of the sun's rays through the rough edges of the "bow of the boat" to the south light wall seems to last forever. From the time of the dream to the evening, the project always attracted the attention of visitors, constantly changing the shape and characteristics.

Sunlight illuminates the rich shape of the chapel to record the passage of time

The harmonious combination of light and darkness is continuing to take place in the interior, where an atmosphere is changing due to the light tower being created in different directions to determine the appropriate time of the day so use any of the 3 chapels. Shaggy concrete roofs, shielding, smooth stone lining, rough wood made benches, stained-glass windows and heat-resistant glazed doors, all combined to create a Palette style palette. Rich between materials and textures.

The combined effect of hanging roofs, bright walls and sound effects created by curved surfaces has made the chapel a very modern, intimate, magnificent setting, affirming its ability to live. Sense of Le Corbusier and father Couturier.