The people of Pelhrimov have a very rich community life, with a variety of festivals and events throughout the year. By reimagining St. Anne's Chapel and its surroundings, we aim to give this community a new space where community life can continue to flourish. We have developed a solution that the community can build and maintain itself.
The environment of the chapel is currently not homogeneous. It is bordered by arable land on one side and woodland on the other. In the forest, there are a few mature trees in the vicinity of the chapel, but also a group of freshly planted, mature trees. Historic photographs of the chapel show that the hilltop was originally not surrounded by forest, but stood free in the company of a few trees, visible from a distance. The forest that has now grown around it has encroached on its lobbies and surroundings, changing the role and character of the house.
Our proposal is to clear the area next to the chapel of young saplings. This will create a clearing next to the house, which will be a place for communal events, with the historic building in the background. The area and the chapel will be landscaped using locally harvested timber. Simple, easy to assemble structures can be achieved through community building.
The landscaping is composed of a small number of thoughtful, small gestures that together provide an understated setting for the various events.
Tamás Ábrahám, Gergely Kenéz, Máté Pálfy
Chapel
Community space
international open competition - 1. prize
Pelhrimov,Czech Republic
Chapel
Community space
international open competition - 1. prize
Pelhrimov,Czech Republic
Even in its present form, the chapel is a unique and exciting sight, with a missing roof that makes it look like an artificial clearing. The intervention was intended to both evoke its former beauty and preserve the character of the time. The ruin is left open, its openings unclosed. A new roof will be built on the walls of the ruin, using the timber that has been felled, and a dense pole structure. The floor of the chapel space will be covered with a loose, scattered surface. The original roof form will be recalled with a silenced curve of a roof form constructed from two planes. By keeping the two roof planes narrow, we allow more natural light into the chapel space than the original.
The redesigned space provides a sheltered backdrop for the clearing created. The space can also be used for small events, ceremonies and concerts, protected from rainfall. The space can also be used as an exhibition space with free access, without the need for temporary guards. The chapel can thus remain an enchanting place for casual visitors to wander and for community events.
The end result is a set of spaces and public furniture that can be used in a variety of ways, but is simple and easy to maintain, and which can be built and maintained by the community itself, even taking advantage of the community's unity.