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 and news
AI and the challenges to intellectual property
The legal landscape of adopting AI now and in the future.
Worrying landscape for Welsh construction SMEs revealed.
In recent risk factor analysis report completed by CIOB.
Construction Sport survey highlights risks of dehydration
Supporting construction workers to avoid dangers.
Can your business afford to ignore mental well-being?
£70 - 100 billion annually in UK construction sector.
Mental health in the construction industry
World Mental Health Day 10 October.
Construction awards provide relief in wake of ISG collapse
Spike in major infrastructure awards, housing up but short of targets, are ISG collapse impacts yet to come.
Biodiversity net gain with related updates and terms
Only 0.5% of applications subject to BNG in the context significant proposed changes to planning.
As political power has shifted from blue to red
Has planning now moved from brown to green?
The role of construction in tackling the biodiversity crisis
New CIOB Nature of Building digital series available now.
The Nature Towns and Cities initiative
Grants of up to 1 million for local councils and partners.
The continued ISG fall out October updates
Where to look for answers to frequently asked questions.
Building safety remediation programme for Wales
With 2024 October progress updates.
In major support package for small businesses.
Conservation and transformation
Reading Ruskin’s cultural heritage. Book review.
Renovating Union Chain Bridge.
AI tools for planning, design, construction and management
A long, continually expanding list, any more to add?