Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter, AS

Community Church Knarvik- Raman

Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography

COMMUNITY CHURCH KNARVIK 

Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter

ARCHITECTS
Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter

LOCATION
Knarvik, Norway

PROJECT YEAR
2014

AREA
2250.0 m2

MANUFACTURERS
Alvdal Skurlag

PHOTOGRAPHER
Hundven Clements Photography, Of Rra

CATEGORY
Churches

Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography

Text description provided by architect.

The new Community Church in Knarvik, located on the scenic west-coast of Norway north of Bergen, is built on a privileged site overlooking the cultural landscape and local town centre.

Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography

The building is carefully adapted to an existing hillside between built and natural environment, providing the church with an inspiring context of the surrounding heath landscape.

Its distinctive and innovative character and central location makes it a landmark in the community, to be inviting and inclusive for all people to cultivate their faith throughout the week.

The church signals its function with a sacral dignity and recognisable form, where the church spire, sanctuary and chapel are emphasised by ascending roof planes.

Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography

Inspired by the local tradition of Norwegian stave churches, the building utilizes clear and elemental geometries, materials and constructions.

The compact building volume is split into two stories on a rectangular plan, separating the sacred spaces above from the cultural and administrative functions below.

Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography

An internal “church square” connects the two levels with an atrium stair into a continuous space, and may be joined or separated from the sanctuary with sliding glass walls to accommodate more than 500 people.

Wood is the key material of the project, expressed in the homogeneous cladding of pre-weathered pine heartwood and mirrored by the light-coloured pine finish on all interior surfaces.

Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography

The building permits daylight into its volume through lancet-reminiscent tall and narrow windows, splayed in plan to maximise admittance and reduce glare. At night, the warm glow of the interior reveals the activities of its religious and cultural events.

The church aspires to provide a platform for a safe upbringing for children and youth, to become a local venue for gatherings and faith, and to facilitate art, music and cultural development.

The Community Church Knarvik has an architectural expression, spatial solutions and materiality which unites religion, culture and the site-specific context into a whole.

Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography


Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
© Hundven Clements Photography


Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Ground Floor Plan
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
First Floor Plan
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Site Plan 1
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Site Plan 2


Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Section 1
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Section 2
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Section 3
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Section 4


Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Elevation 1
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Drawing


Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Model 1
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Model 2
Community Church Knarvik- Raman
Model 3

Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter, AS
T +47 22 808480
Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter, AS
Josefines gate 7, 0351 Oslo, Norway