Chapel St. Francis de Sales
Chapel Saint Francis de Sales, Haute-Savoie, France
Saint Francis de Sales, the patron saint of writing, is often depicted with quill in hand. Designed to honor this obscure saint, the building takes both its inspiration and formal logic from cursive writing.
The project is constructed from a set of three basic CNC routed wooden parts (a, b and c).
Each of the parts' arc length & radius increases in scale by 1.618 up, and .618 down, eg: a = (b+c), 2a = (a+b+c), et cetera. Parts combine into a variety of units that, when stacked, create a range of letter-like cursive columns. Detailed to allow incremental rotation when stacked, units can also create a range of bridging shapes and forms.
Parts combine into a variety of units that, when stacked, create a range of letter-like cursive columns. Detailed to allow incremental rotation when stacked, units can also create a range of bridging shapes and forms.
Although infinitely variable, the chapel forms a loop of repeating shapes, gently opening and closing as you move around it, evoking the act of writing. Lit from within, at night the chapel becomes a lantern in the landscape.