Ronchamp Chapel From Le Corbusier

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Introduction

Throughout the history of architecture, there are several fascinating projects, structures, and buildings that have remained quite significant. One of these structures is the Ronchamp Chapel in France, designed by Le Corbusier. The building has a long history in terms of events before its construction, architectural design, function, and uniqueness among other related aspects (Virtual Ronchamp 2012). Constructed in the 1950s, the building has continued to attract the attention of people from all walks of life. Why does this happen?

This essay seeks to uncover detailed information about Ronchamp Chapel about its history, function, and architectural design. Additionally, the essay will focus on the building’s influence in the surrounding area as it serves an important function in the lives of many people who dwell in its neighborhood. In understanding its unique design, several aspects will be covered including but not limited to the construction method, materials, and the construction process as perfected by Le Corbusier. Besides describing the physical design of the chapel, the essay will equally find why the architect chose its particular design despite the fact there were other design options to be considered.

In this category, the essay will also cover the most unique facts about Ronchamp Chapel, which are believed to have contributed to the building’s worldwide fame. Lastly, this analysis will explore why the chapel follows the principles of formalism and the reasons that led to the choice of such principles. To achieve this task, the essay is designed and structured in detailed segments, giving concise facts and information about the historic building found in France. This information will be obtained from reputable sources of literature.

Historical Background

Although there are several historical buildings in France, the Ronchamp Chapel is believed to be the latest outside the town of Ronchamp. According to traditional findings, the site was historically known to be the home of a temple for the pagans in the 3^rdcentury B.C. In addition, the hill site, where the chapel stands today was known by Christians as a pilgrimage center during the 4^th century A.D (Virtual Ronchamp 2012). During this time, Christians decided to construct a sanctuary, which was widely known for miracles that took place. Importantly, the sanctity and purpose of the hill have been passed on to various generations, remaining a major pilgrimage destination.

The site is also remembered for hosting approximately thirty thousand Germans and Frenchmen as they converged to acknowledge the end of the Franco-Prussian War in September 1873 (Virtual Ronchamp 2012). Due to its historical recognition, several Christians pay its visits throughout the year for pilgrimages. Based on church records, the 13^th century saw the completion of the first chapel on the site. A similar church was constructed in one of the villages of Ronchamp in the 18^th century. Many Christians foresaw the possibility of emerging confusion especially in differentiating the two churches. It was therefore decided that the first church on the hill be named, Notre Dame du Haut, to distinguish it from the village church in Ronchamp.

In understanding the history of this chapel, it is important to note that several churches stood at the same site before its construction that started in the 1950s. For instance, a Neo-Gothic chapel was constructed during the Second World War, and this was a replacement of the previous chapel, which had been reduced to rubble after a lightning strike in 1913 (Virtual Ronchamp 2012). Nevertheless, the chapel was not to serve its purpose for long before it was destroyed. It joined a list of several buildings in Europe that had been damaged by German artillery during the war. Due to Christians’ attachment to the building, many suggested its repair after the World War.

However, the analysis that was carried out to determine the workability of the proposal revealed that it would be more economical to build a new chapel than to repair the damaged structure. As a result, the construction of a new chapel was commissioned.

After the agreement, the Sacred Art of the Roman Catholic Church was mandated to find the best architect that would design another chapel at the same site. One of the members of the commission was Father Pierre Couturier, a renowned artist who had a history of contracting artists from other backgrounds (Virtual Ronchamp 2012). The commission was therefore awarded to Le Corbusier who firmly rejected the offer. However, Pierre Couturier pursued Le Corbusier, managing to invite him to the site even though he had turned down the offer. Amazingly, Le Corbusier was highly impressed by the site and changed his earlier decision in June 1950. Three years later, the construction of the Ronchamp Chapel was commissioned and completed in 1955, with Le Corbusier as the chief architect of the historic building.

Importantly, the chapel was met with immense criticism from church leaders, other architects, and several members of the public in Ronchamp. To worsen the situation, the building was denied electricity for some time because of the perception that had been created by critics over the chapel. Nonetheless, the Ronchamp Chapel gained popularity and acceptance with time, becoming a historical building throughout the 20^th century (Virtual Ronchamp 2012).

The site

Ronchamp is a small town found on the eastern side of France. The city is naturally located between two mountains, the Vosges Mountains towards the northern direction and the Jura Mountains to the south. As a result, the region experiences a damp temperate climate. Like in other parts of Europe, summers are relatively warm, whereas winters are cold.

The exact site of the Chapel is on a hill next to Belfort. The chapel is known to be one of Corbusier’s oeuvre and deviates from his known standards and the overall aesthetic machinery. As mentioned before, the site was too appealing to the architect, Le Corbusier that he changed his mind and accepted the contract (Virtual Ronchamp 2012). While at the site, one can view the entire horizon from the four sides of the hill. The legacy of the chapel requires that the building remains a place of worship for Christians.

The Architect

No description of the Ronchamp Chapel can be complete without the mention of its architect, Le Corbusier. He made architectural history in the 20^th century (Pauly 1997, p. 126). He belonged to the Modernist Movement, a writer and a teacher who left some of the structures that are considered to be seminal in the last century. Although he was known to be from France, Le Corbusier was born in Switzerland in 1887 and obtained French citizenship in 1930. He was a popular artist who was uniquely identified by a single name since 1920. He began his architectural work in 1922 when he joined forces with his cousin to establish his design studio (Virtual Ronchamp 2012).

Due to their combined efforts, the duo gained international status in terms of outstanding and professional architectural work. In Paris, Le Corbusier and his cousin played a major role in building villas of international style, with Villa Savoye emerging as their iconic piece of work (Fondation Le Corbusier 1997). Besides architecture, Le Corbusier was a recognized furniture designer, painter, and author, and his work is highly respected in France. He also played a major role in the establishment of Purism.

The structure

The chapel is mostly made of concrete and is considered to be relatively small, surrounded by thick walls, which provide strength and stability to the building. The roof of the chapel is tuned upwards and fully rests on column pillars that are implanted in the concrete walls (Fondation Le Corbusier 1997). The design of the chapel has earned itself a different title from believers who believe that it resembles the ship of God that provides safety and divine salvation for members of the Christian faith. The interior of the chapel is designed in such a way that the clerestory windows occupy the spaces between the concrete walls and the roof.

The walls also have openings, which allow symmetric light and enhance the sanctity of the space and the direct relationship that exists between the building and its neighborhood (Pauly 1997, p. 127). The interior of the building further has soft indirect lighting, emanating from clerestory windows and the reflection created by whitewashed walls. As mentioned before, the Ronchamp Chapel is built of concrete and stones. These materials were principally obtained from the debris, which was collected after the destruction of the first chapel that was consumed by the wrath of the Second World War. Due to its uniqueness in terms of architectural design, the building has been described in several ways. It has been referred to as an example of post-modern architecture even though it was completed in the 1950s (Fondation Le Corbusier 1997).

Structural design

The Ronchamp Chapel consists of two major parts, concrete membranes, which have a space of 2.26 meters between them. This space forms a shell-like shape that is part of the building’s roofing system. It is worth noting that the roof of the chapel is designed in such a way that it is water-tight and insulating to provide the desired conditions in the church (Fondation Le Corbusier 1997). This roof is supported by struts, forming a vertical concrete slab that is coated with gunite. The struts also provide support to walls that were constructed with stones obtained from the remnants of the initial chapel that was destroyed. Another important feature of the walls is that they do not have buttresses and have a curvilinear shape whose main purpose is to provide enough stability to the characteristic rough masonry of the building (Pauly 1997, p. 126).

In ensuring that the building is treated with perfect daylight, the roof shell and walls are separated with a few centimeters of space. About the topography of the surrounding, the floor of the Ronchamp Chapel takes the natural slope of the hill on which it is built. The design of the floor is determined by the Modulor and is constructed with cement as the main material (Fondation Le Corbusier 1997). In addition, the altars of the chapel are designed with the beauty that gives the church a fascinating interior and exterior outlook. On the other hand, the towers were mainly designed using durable stones and have cement domes caps to give them a better finish. The vertical walls and other elements of the chapel have a mortar surface and are whitewashed (Stoller 1999, p. 7).

To achieve a watertight interior, the roof is designed with built-up roofing that allows aluminum finishing to the outside. In other words, the aluminum provides a secure way of ensuring that no water penetrates the interior of the chapel through the roofing system. As indicated earlier, the interior’s beauty is well captured through the blending of colors and proper finishing (Virtual Ronchamp 2012). For instance, the interior part of the structure has white walls while the ceiling is dominated by unfinished grey concrete that gives it a unique appearance. Besides these, the floor is purely made of cement and stones while the benches, which were designed by Savina, are made of wood from Africa. Inside the chapel, there is an iron communion bench which was developed by the Foundries from Lure (Stoller 1999, p. 8).

Even though several openings in the walls of the chapel are designed to permit daylight, they are smartly covered with clear glass. This helps in promoting the natural appearance of the building from its interior (Virtual Ronchamp 2012). However, some of the glasses are colored to allow the blending of colors that provide an attractive appearance to the eyes. It is therefore important to emphasize that the colored glasses do not indicate stains, the architect considered the illumination as a form of old architectural techniques that were mainly old and associated with Romanesque and Gothic art. Through these colored glasses, one can see what is happening within the chapel’s environment, including clouds, passers-by and even moving vegetation (Kroll 2010).

Another important aspect of the interior of the building is the variation in the painting color, where red and violet was used for decoration (Gargiani & Rosellini 2011, p. 126). For example, one of the interior walls is painted using intense red paint while the other wall that gives way to the sacristy is violet in color. Moreover, the chapel has a main door that is used for procession ceremonies. The door is 9m² in size and it is located in the middle of the building, with both surfaces coated with panels of steel designed in different colors at a temperature of 760^oC (Virtual Ronchamp 2012). At the time of its completion, the building was historically recognized for having incorporated this architectural design on the procession door.

Likewise, the other door that opens towards the platform to the east of the chapel is designed to be used during open-air functions. This door is made of cast concrete and has a bronze handle that is useful when opening and closing it. Like other structures designed by Le Corbusier, the Ronchamp Chapel has the Modulor layout that allows the reduction of its dimensions without being noticed (Kroll 2010). In other words, this ridiculous reduction can be done in such a manner that no spectator would have any suspicion.

Another important feature of the chapel’s surroundings is the presence of unused stones. These stones were part of the materials that were retrieved after the first chapel was destroyed during the Second World War. Christians agreed not to dispose of the stones but to pile them in form of a pyramid around the perimeter of the grassed region (Kroll 2010).

The southern wall

The southern wall of Ronchamp Chapel can simply be described as an independent creature. Although many would have expected the architect to construct a straight 50 cm piece of work, he concentrated on the outside, ensuring total perfection (Moffett, Fazio & Wodehouse 2003, p. 529). In his efforts to decorate the chapel, he designed a wall whose starting point is on the eastern side of the building and extends to the western side by ten feet.

Additionally, this wall does not extend in a straight manner but curves towards the southern direction. Besides this uniqueness of the wall and its expansion, the architect equally designed extraordinary windows, making his approach more complex. The strangeness of these openings lies in the fact that they incline towards the central points at different angles. Due to this slanting design, the light gets into the chapel at varying degrees, thus making it more appealing. In addition, the windows are closed with glasses, which are placed at different depths. As a way of maintaining the history of the site and the previous church, the architect chose to fill the inner side of the wall with rubble (Moffett, Fazio & Wodehouse 2003, p. 529).

Although the glass used is commonly clear, stained glasses are sometimes used to improve its appearance. Yellow, red, and green are some of the colors that are considered to have been liked by Le Corbusier. Apart from decorative purposes, stained glasses have properties, which allow them to radiate light. This feature is common among precious stones like emeralds, rubies, and amethysts. They, therefore, serve as jewels on the famous wall.

From this design of the wall, many expected the architect to have the southern portion made into a bearing wall (Moffett, Fazio & Wodehouse 2003, p. 529). Nevertheless, the concrete columns offer sufficient support to the roof, appearing to float over the space. To the inside of the wall, the architect decided to enhance symbolism by filling it with unused debris collected. This was to sustain the history of the old church and the site for worshippers who visit the building to remember past events and efforts to have a worship center on the building.

Furnishings

During its construction, the stained glasses were immensely used to give the walls a beautiful finish with some of the glasses designed with a thickness of ten feet. The chapel is mostly used for pilgrimage worship functions (Kroll 2010). This, therefore, implies that the chapel receives a few people during most parts of the year. However, the chapel registers mammoth crowds during special feast occasions.

To accommodate these people, Le Corbusier designed an outside alter together with a pulpit to allow other people to be at the top of the hill when the services are going on. Virgin Mary’s statue is enclosed in a glass cover and is positioned depending on where the worshippers are seated, say, outside or inside. It is worth noting that the statue was not designed by Le Corbusier, but was rescued from the chapel that was destroyed during World War II (Chapel of Nôtre Dame du Haut 2011).

The roof

It is considered the most fascinating part of the chapel, with its curved shape peeling towards the sky. With its shape, the roof is seen to float on the rest of the building even though it is supported by concrete columns, which are firmly embedded in the walls (Gargiani & Rosellini 2011, p. 126). The roof is viewed as part of the mechanized influence in the design of the building, which remains an architectural icon. The curvature on the roof fully imitates the wings of an airplane. As a result, the chapel’s designs, heavy qualities, and materials do not make it heavier but weightless.

Analysis

As a person who didn’t proclaim his faith publicly, it is believed that his first rejection to design the chapel was based on his attitude towards Catholics. Although it was not revealed to many, Le Corbusier’s design of the chapel was a clear representation of the relationship between the Virgin Mary and the church (Flora 1999, p. 408). He purposed to make the connection between the body of Mary and the building. It has also been noted that the design of the chapel resembles Neolithic mortuary sculptures. He demonstrates his passion for primitive art and association with France. He pursued imagery as he continued working on the chapel.

For instance, the architect built a church cistern at the top of the hill after there was a shortage of water. Additionally, the curving of the walls of the chapel could symbolize a pregnant woman. Even though the chapel has an outstanding reputation in terms of its architectural design, it was an easy task for Le Corbusier (Flora 1999, p. 409).

Notably, there are several factors, which influenced Le Corbusier in deciding the best design for the chapel. However, the terrain and topography at the top of the hill were quite appealing. He immediately accepted to work on the chapel after surveying the site (Flora 1999, p. 409). Additionally, his decision was based on his mindset and perception of religion. As a man who did not proclaim his faith publicly, it is doubtless that his understanding of the catholic faith was influential.

The uniqueness of the building emanates from its design and construction. Of great concern is the roof of the chapel, which appears to mimic the shape of a plane’s wing. Although it may be assumed that the Ronchamp Chapel is daily used like normal churches, the building is mainly used during pilgrimage ceremonies, when it hosts several people from all walks of life (Alford 1958, p. 293). The building has also influenced the people within its neighborhood.

For centuries, the hill has remained a place of worship for Christians and the chapel is highly revered. It has therefore promoted the growth of Christianity with special reference to the catholic faith. Besides promoting the Christian faith, the Ronchamp chapel is a historic building, reminding people of the impact of World War II. This is based on the fact that the chapel was constructed after the first one was destroyed beyond repair. The presence of some of the rubble in the temple further confirms how the structure connects people to historic events (Alford 1958, p. 293).

Conclusion

From the above analysis, it is clear that the Ronchamp Chapel is a significant building in the history of architecture. Its description cannot however be completed without giving credit to its chief architect, Le Corbusier. Located in Haute-Saône, France, the building is affiliated to the Roman Catholics and it is mainly used as a pilgrimage chapel. From the roof to the floor, the design of the building remains amazing (Chapel of Nôtre Dame du Haut 2011). The building also has a historic attachment, having in mind that it was built after the destruction of another chapel at the same site during WWII. Though the building is over fifty years old, it remains an iconic religious architecture of the 20^th century.

References

Alford, J 1958, ‘Creativity and Intelligibility in Le Corbusier’s Chapel at Ronchamp,’ The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 293-305.

Chapel of Nôtre Dame du Haut 2011. Web.

Flora, S 1999, ‘The Representation of Mary in the Architecture of Le Corbusier’s Chapel at Ronchamp,’ Church History, vol. 68 no. 2, pp. 398-416.

Fondation Le Corbusier 1997. Web.

Gargiani, R & Rosellini, A 2011, Le Corbusier: Beton Brut and Ineffable Space (1940-1965): Surface Materials and Psychophysiology of Vision, EPFL Press, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Kroll, A 2010, AD Classics: Ronchamp / Le Corbusier. Web.

Moffett, M, Fazio, M & Wodehouse, L 2003, A world history of architecture, Laurence King Publishing, United Kingdom.

Pauly, D 1997, Le Corbusier: la chapelle de Ronchamp, Birkhäuser, Boston.

Stoller, E 1999, The Chapel at Ronchamp, Princeton Architectural Press, New York.

Virtual Ronchamp 2012. Web.

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