Suvela Chapel
[Image © Mika Huisman]
In the last months of 2016, the Suvela Chapel was completed and inaugurated in Espoo, a city just west of Helsinki, Finland. Designed by architectural practice OOPEAA’s principal Anssi Lassila, the aim was to provide a hub for the culturally-diverse neighbourhood, and a venue for religious and community events.
The building is a hybrid structure with timber elements as well as concrete and steel. Cladding the exterior are shimmering, multi-tonal copper panels, chosen for their sustainable credentials and to emphasise the unity of the building’s volume.
[Image © Mika Huisman]
Timber is used predominantly in the tall chapel hall on the walls and the underside of the roof, which are covered in spruce panels textured with ridges for improved acoustic quality.
The building wraps into a single U-shaped volume forming an intimate interior courtyard in the centre. The large roof angles up to match the height of surrounding buildings. The main chapel is located at the northeast end of the building, directly accessed via the main entrance. The smallest part of the building contains the parish facilities, while the southwest wing contains community services, including a soup kitchen.
[Image © Marc Goodwin, Archmospheres]
Lassila said:
"Providing schools, libraries and churches as places where people can come together in shared space has deep roots in the cultural tradition of Finland. The Suvela Chapel is part of this tradition."
Suvela Chapel was one of the four finalists for Finlandia Prize in 2016 (which OOPEAA won in 2015 for Puukuokka Housing Block), is amongst the nominated projects for the Mies van der Rohe Award 2017, and was awarded bronze in the American Architecture Prize 2016.
[Image © Marc Goodwin, Archmospheres]
Images and content courtesy of OOPEAA.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles
Check out some of the best features and news from Designing Buildings as well as key stories from around the web.
Building Safety Act implementation in Wales
CIAT to host industry panel on 26 June.
New and updated CLC building safety guidance.
New UK National Buildings Database.
Building Safety Wiki Interviews
Chief executive of the British Woodworking Federation.
Planning condition discharge in England and Wales
A brief explanation from a building compliance expert, with further links.
Overheating guidance and tools for building designers
Guidance for dealing with element of building fabric control that have increasing importance.
Shading for housing, a design guide
From the Good Homes Alliance and British Blind and Shutter Association.
UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC)
A shared framework for describing skills needs.
Social media ban consultation comes to close
CIOB urges UK Government to consider social media’s role in careers guidance in ban debate.
The latest of eight Skills England apprenticeship units
The addition of battery manufacturing welcomed by ECA with a warning about the risks of fast-tracked apprenticeship units.
Building Control Independent Panel final report
A precis of a key report led by Dame Hackitt with full recommendations and link to the government response.