Samiksha Vaidyanathan

ROWC 2

 This essay draws a comparison between two notable structures in the field of Architecture, both designed by great architects - the Church of Light by Tadao Ando and the Bruder Klaus Field Chapel by Peter Zumthor. The comparison is drawn based on the similar and different ways that these two structures achieve a particular kind of silence that one finds peace in, whenever they are inside a structure of religious significance. It talks about the major and minor nuances of the structures and how they affect the overall quality of silence that creates a lasting impact on the minds of the people who have experienced these spaces. The essay goes over the setting in which the church and the chapel are placed, their exterior and interiors, materiality, construction technique, sustainability, and the play of light. Both structures are located in a quiet setting and don’t have a fancy external facade that does a lot of talking. This simplicity is carried to the interiors of the Church of Light as the hard geometric lines of the exterior structure continue inside, while the Bruder Klaus Field Chapel surprises us with an organically spaced shape inside the rigid 5 sided exterior. Even though both are concrete structures their construction methods are extremely different, the church is cast in situ and the chapel is rammed concrete. Concrete in itself is very muted in terms of the textures or boldness of colour but it enhances the drama created with the play of light which is a defining feature in terms of the Architecture and the quality of silence that is created. In both structures, light enters only through one source; the cruciform extrusion on the east facade of the church and the opening in the ceiling of the chapel called the oculus. The sources used in this essay are reliable blogs on the internet. ArchDaily is a very well known blog in the field of Architecture and can be referred to for any architectural knowledge that one seeks.