7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 1/20

Light Matters: Le Corbusier and the Trinity of Light

 

11FEB

2015• by  Thomas Schielke

• PublicationsFrenchLight MattersRonchampFranceRetrofit La TouretteReligious ArchitectureChurch at

FirminyHenry PlummerDaylight Architectural BooksLe CorbusierReligious BuildingsLe Corbusier 50

• Bookmark

•

•

•

• 0• Share on email

Bookmark this picture!

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 2/20

View lookingsouth to “upwardly springing” waves of light. hurch of Saint!"ierre# $irminy# $rance. %mage& 'enry "lummer (0))

$or his three sacred buildings# *e orbusier has played masterfully with orientation#

openings and te+tures to create kinetic architecture with daylight. 'is pilgrimage chapel at

,onchamp# the monastery of Sainte -arie de *a Tourette# and the parish church of Saint!

"ierre in $irminy reveal distinctive and individual approaches that each render contemplative

spaces with light. %n his book “osmos of *ight The Sacred /rchitecture of *e

orbusier#” 'enry "lummer# "rofessor meritus at the 1niversity of %llinois at 1rbana!

hampaign# has analysed these pro2ects with outstanding photographs taken over 30 years

and brilliant writing.

Read on for more about how Le Corbusier  created his cosmos of light.

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 3/20

Bookmark this picture!

1pward viewinto scoop at sunrise. hapel of 4otre 5ame du 'aut# ,onchamp# $rance. %mage & 'enry"lummer (0))

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 4/20

*ight has been linked with divinity and holiness in many di6erent religions. %n hristianity the

Bible speaks of 7od who “is light” or hrist as “the light of the world”. ven if the divine light

and visible light are not the same# visible light appears as the most similar to the heavenly

and thereby links both spheres. ach epoch has formed a new language of light The glow ofthe ,omanes8ue apse# the golden shimmer of By9antine mosaics or the luminous walls of

7othic stained glass. /s an artist as well as an architect# *e orbusiere+pressed an

e+ceptional sensitivity for the interaction of colours and light in his sacred buildings. 'is

position as an outspoken agnostic seems very ambivalent in combination with his desire to

open the soul to poetic realms.Bookmark this picture!

:hite lightand black shadows on east fa;ade at midmorning. hapel of 4otre 5ame du 'aut#,onchamp# $rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 5/20

Studying *e orbusier<s sacred buildings for more than four decades has led to a deep

fascination for 'enry "lummer regarding the transformative power of light “%nstead of

serving as a tool of religious persuasion# as it generally has in the past# light has become a

8uiet force to visually resist and elude# erode and outshine# the hurch=s mandate. *ighteats away and weakens institutional discipline# while e+erting its own da99ling powers to

draw attention out to the sky and its commonplace marvels > in e6ect using light to

consecrate the natural universe”.Bookmark this picture!

1pward viewof ?ssure and brise!soleil# on overcast day. hapel of 4otre 5ame du 'aut# ,onchamp#$rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

 The main characteristic of the hapel of 4otre 5ame du 'aut at ,onchamp @)A0!C

comes# for "lummer# from the continuous circle of solar events. The dawning sun illuminates

the alcove of the side chapel and turns the red!painted void even redder. $or "lummer this

reddish morning light is a clear analogy to human birth. *ater# sun Doods the tall slot

between the east and south walls# continuous with the rays of light through the deep

cavities of the south wall. The small hori9ontal crack of ten centimetres lifts the roof from the

wall and creates a harsh contrast to the glow of the vertical brise!soleil at the southeast

corner. The cycle culminates ?nally in a warm glow from an opening in another side chapel

at sunset.Bookmark this picture!

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 6/20

orridor toatrium cadenced with sunshine in late morning. -onastery of Sainte -arie de la Tourette#Eveu+!sur!lF/rbresle# $rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

 The light orchestration at *a Tourette is more comple+ and widely dispersed in comparison

to ,onchamp# remarks "lummer. The -onastery of Sainte -arie de la Tourette at Eveu+!sur!

lF/rbresle @)AG!H0C# with its rectilinear geometry# embodies a clear counterpoint to the

poetic forms of ,onchamp and $irminy. 5ue to the fact that all corridors have an open side

facing one of the four cardinal directions# the believers encounter diverse light e+periences.

/dditionally# the corridors are distinguished with di6erent window arrangements. The

irregular rhythm of light and shadow appears like a musical composition# notes "lummer

when he observes the corridor to the atrium “1nlike the repetitive rhythms of windows and

columns in traditional churches# these Duent rhythms are aperiodic# based upon intervals of

light and transparency that gradually compress and e+pand in waves. The lovingly cadenced

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 7/20

beats have the intonation and Dow of music > not orchestral music# but chant!like sounds#

whose tones help to draw people further into a contemplative state.”Bookmark this picture!

View lookingeast as solar line bends around the far end wall. -onastery of Sainte -arie de la Tourette#Eveu+!sur!lF/rbresle# $rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

 The highlight of the light choreography in *a Tourette<s church begins with the sunset. /

crack atop the west wall draws warm lines along the side walls. The north wall connects the

two golden lines and with the falling sun the line slowly moves upward. The dramatic

atmosphere increases till the moment when the golden light hits the slight upward tilted roof 

plane and gra9es over the tactile ceiling of prefabricated slabs. This e6ect changes with the

seasons > ranging form a small triangle in winter to a large rectangle in summer when the

sun reaches its ma+imum power.

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 8/20

Bookmark this picture!

1pward view ofclima+ of sunset as golden light gra9es over the tactile ceiling. -onastery of Sainte -arie dela Tourette# Eveu+!sur!lF/rbresle# $rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

 The scenography at the church of Saint!"ierre at $irminy @)AH0!(00HC is arranged in three

acts. The small stellar windows on the east fa;ade generate dots of light on the Door which

later mysteriously turn into waves of light. These waves gently rise and fall with the course

of the sun. They create an astonishing pattern over all three walls facing the altar.

"olycarbonate cylinders with concentric grooves holding the glue cause these impressive

wave e6ects. The luminous pattern appeared une+pectedly for the client when the cylinders

were mounted into the concrete wall. "lummer points out# that *e orbusier could not have

envisioned this phenomenon ! particularly as the actual construction of the building wasn<t

carried out until decades after his death ! but it is known that he delighted in# and often

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 9/20

encouraged# accidents of construction# especially when they enhanced the character of the

building.Bookmark this picture!

mergence ofsolar pro2ections# one rhomboidal and the other elliptical. hurch of Saint!"ierre# $irminy#$rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

/round noon the waves of light disappear and sunlight from two angled tubes in the roof

strikes down into the darkness with sharply de?ned beams. In overcast days# two soft

luminous veils emerge on the walls. :ith the approach of the sunset a golden light shoots

into the church and hits the altar wall. / rectilinear light cannon pro2ects the intense warm

sunlight onto the interior wall while a cool sky blue falls softly through the stellar windows.

'ere the cosmic scenes of day and night appear mysteriously together.

Bookmark this picture!

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 10/20

7olden lighton altar wall. hurch of Saint!"ierre# $irminy# $rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

*e orbusierFs light techni8ues emerge as a multifaceted language to consecrate his sacred

buildings. 'is dynamic layers of light transcend the static building volumes ! a cosmic cycle

that changes with the course of the day# year and with a clear or overcast sky. 'is structural

elements range from tiny stellar openings to large tubes# but even small interventions are

used to generate remarkable light patterns that reDect cosmic power. *e

orbusier e+pressed his consciousness of the cosmic power of light in his personal synthesisof ma+ims in the beginning of “The "oem of the ,ight /ngle” @*e poJme de lFangle droit#

)A# translated to nglish by 'enry "lummerC

 The sun master of our lives

far o6 indi6erent

'e is the visitor > an overlord

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 11/20

he enters our house

%n setting he says good evening

to this mossy earth @oh treesC

to these puddles everywhere@oh seasC and to our lofty

wrinkles @/ndes# /lps and

'imalayasC. /nd the lamps

are lit up.

"unctual machine turning

since time immemorial

awakens every instant of the

twenty!four hours the gradation

the nuance the imperceptible

almost providing

a measure. Ket brutally

he breaks it twice >

night and day > these two phases

rule our destiny

/ sun risesa sun sets

a sun rises anew

 Cosmos of Light: The Sacred Architecture of Le Corusier! Buy from %ndiana 1niversity "ress!

Light matters, a monthly column on light and space, is written by Thomas Schielke. Based inGermany, he is fascinated by architectural lighting and works for the lighting company and

academy !"L. #e has published numerous articles and co$authored the book “Light

%erspecti&es.” 'or more information check www.arclighting.de or follow him (arcspaces

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 12/20

View looking south to “upwardly springing” waves of 

light. hurch of Saint!"ierre# $irminy# $rance. %mage &

'enry "lummer (0))

orridor to atrium cadenced with sunshine in late

morning. -onastery of Sainte -arie de la Tourette# Eveu+!

sur!lF/rbresle# $rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

1pward view into scoop at sunrise. hapel of 4otre 5ame

du 'aut# ,onchamp# $rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer

(0))

7olden light on altar wall. hurch of Saint!"ierre# $irminy#

$rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 13/20

1pward view of ?ssure and brise!soleil# on overcast day.

hapel of 4otre 5ame du 'aut# ,onchamp# $rance. %mage

& 'enry "lummer (0))

View looking east as solar line bends around the far end

wall. -onastery of Sainte -arie de la Tourette# Eveu+!sur!

lF/rbresle# $rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

:hite light and black shadows on east fa;ade at

midmorning. hapel of 4otre 5ame du 'aut# ,onchamp#

$rance. %mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

mergence of solar pro2ections# one rhomboidal and the

other elliptical. hurch of Saint!"ierre# $irminy# $rance.

%mage & 'enry "lummer (0))

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 14/20

1pward view of clima+ of sunset as golden light gra9es

over the tactile ceiling. -onastery of Sainte -arie de la

 Tourette# Eveu+!sur!lF/rbresle# $rance. %mage & 'enry

"lummer (0))

Saint-Pierre, Firminy 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sait"#ierre

Basic iformatio

Locatio $irminy# *oire# $rance

A$%iatio urrently none#

designed as,oman

atholic church

Architectura% descriptio

Architect&s' *e orbusier

Architectura hurch

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 15/20

% t(pe

Comp%eted (00H

Speci)catios

*ateria%s oncrete

Saint-Pierre (English: Saint Peter ) is a concrete building in the commune of Firminy, France. he

last ma!or "ork of #e $orbusier , it "as completed in %&&', fortyone years after his death.

$ontents

  hide* 

• + istory

• % -ating

• -eferences

• / E0ternal links

History [edit]

1esigned to be a church in the model city of Firminy 2ert, the construction of SaintPierre "as begunin +34+, si0 years after #e $orbusier5s death in +3'6. 1ue to local political conflicts it remained

stalled from +346 to %&&, "hen the local go7ernment declared the mouldering concrete ruin an

8architectural heritage8 and financed its completion. he building "as completed by the French

architect,9os ;ubrerie, #e $orbusier5s student for many years. +*

<t has been used for many different purposes, as a secondary school and as a shelter. =s

the laicist French state may not use public funds for religious buildings, SaintPierre is no" used as

a cultural 7enue.

Rating[edit]

<n the World =rchitecture Sur7ey of %&+&, the building "as ranked as second in the rankings of the

top structures built in the t"entyfirst century, recei7ing four 7otes. =merican architect Peter

Eisenman asserted in his response that this building is the most important structure built since +3>&.%*

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 16/20

References[edit]

+. Jump up ̂  ?orris, ?ark (%&&'). Architecture and the Miniature. Wiley =cademy.p. 6/. <S@A 34> & /4& &+63% '.

%. Jump up ̂  yrnauer, ?att, Architecture in the Age of Gehry , 2anity Fair, Aumber '&&, =ugust,%&+&, p.+6'+'4

• Stefan Simons (%> Ao7ember %&&'). 8= $oncrete estament: #e $orbusier5s Final

Pro!ect8. Spiegel ;nline.

External links[edit]

• #e $orbusier in Firminy

•  =rticle by 9onathan @arnes =rchitecture and 1esign

• (French) $ity of Firminy "ebsite on SaintPierre

$oordinates: /6.>6'BA /.%>'/BE

This article about a 'rench building or structure is a stub. )ou can help

*ikipedia by e+panding it .

Ronchamp

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

+ochamp

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 17/20

4otre 5ame du 'aut

,onchamp

Locatio ,ithi Frache"Comt- regio LshowM

oordinates 3NO3(P0GQ4  HOGRP0(Q oordinates 3N

O3(P0GQ4 HOGRP0(Q

Coutr( $rance

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 18/20

+egio $ranche!omt

.epartmet 'aute!Sane

Arrodissemet *ure

Cato hampagney

/tercommua%it( ,ahin et hrimont

oermet

  *a(or @(00R>(0)3C Uean laude -ille

Area1 (G.3 km( @A.0A s8 miC

#opu%atio @(00HC2 (#AH)

  .esit( )G0km( @GG0s8 miC

/3SEE4#osta% code N03)  N0(0

E%eatio G(0>NA0 m @)#00>(#A0 ftC

@avg. GG m or )#)R ftC

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.3!

s" mi or #$% acres& and ri'er estuaries.

2 %opulation without double counting residents of multiple

communes @e.g.# students and military personnelC only counted

once.

Ronchamp is a commune in the auteSaCne department in the region of Franche$omt in

eastern France.

<t is located bet"een the 2osges and the 9ura mountains.

$ontents

  hide* 

• + ?ining ?useum

• % Aotre 1ame du aut

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 19/20

• -eferences

• / E0ternal links

Mining Museum[edit]

Main article: Ronchamp coal mines

?ining began in -onchamp in the mid+>th century and had de7eloped into a full industry by the late

+3th century, employing +6&& people. he museum looks back at the miners5 "ork, the techniDues

and tools they used, and their social life. = collection of miners5 lamps is also on display.

Notre Dame du Haut[edit]

Main article: Notre Dame du Haut 

he chapel of Aotre 1ame du aut, designed by #e $orbusier , is located in -onchamp. he

$hapelle Aotre1ameduaut, a shrine for the $atholic $hurch at -onchamp "as built for a

reformist $hurch looking to continue its rele7ancy. Warning against decadence, reformers "ithin the$hurch looked to rene" its spirit by embracing modern art and architecture as representati7e

concepts. Father $outurier , "ho "ould also sponsor #e $orbusier for the #a ourette commission,

steered the unorthodo0 pro!ect to completion in +36/.

his "ork, like se7eral others in #e $orbusiers late oeu7re, departs from his principles

of standardiation and the machine aesthetic outlined in Vers une architecture. <t is interesting to

note though, that e7en in this pro!ect, the structural design of the roof "as inspired by the

engineering of  airfoils.

he chapel is clearly a sitespecific response. @y #e $orbusiers o"n admission, it "as the site that

pro7ided an irresistiblegenius loci for the response, "ith the horion 7isible on all four sides of the hilland its historical legacy for centuries as a place of "orship.

<nterior of Aotre 1ame du aut (looking up)

his historical legacy "ea7ed in different layers into the terrain G from the-omans and sun

"orshippers before them, to a cult of the 2irgin in the ?iddle =ges, right through to the modern

church and the fight against the Herman occupation. #e $orbusier also sensed a sacral relationship

7/17/2019 Le Corbusier - arhitectura ecleziastica

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/le-corbusier-arhitectura-ecleziastica 20/20

of the hill "ith its surroundings, the 9ura mountains in the distance and the hill itself, dominating the

landscape.

he nature of the site "ould result in an architectural ensemble that has many similitudes "ith

the  =cropolis, starting from the ascent at the bottom of the hill to architectural and landscape e7ents

along the "ay, before finally terminating at the sanctum sanctorum itself, the chapel.

he building itself is a comparati7ely small structure enclosed by thick "alls, "ith the upturned roof

supported on columns embedded "ithin the "alls. <n the interior, the spaces left bet"een the "all

and roof, as "ell as asymmetric light from the "all openings ser7e to further reinforce the sacral

nature of the space and buttress the relationship of the building "ith its surroundings.

References[edit]

• <ASEE

External links[edit]

:ikimedia ommons

has media related

to Ronchamp.

• ;fficial "ebsite of the -onchamp 7illage (French)

• ;fficial "ebsite of the $hapel of -onchamp (French)