Knarvik church
The hilly ground and the significant elevation of the upper access level above the imagined city square
at the bottom of the site are both considerable challenges in the design of Knarvik church.
The terrain inspires the creation of a church both as a much needed urban junction, as well as a
landscape-oriented building with proximity to nature and spectacular views as essential qualities.
In our concept, the church unites both ambitions and becomes paramount in the establishment of an eastward axis,
joining the upper plateau with the urban junction towards the city square. Thusly, the church structure becomes
an important and active asset in the creation of a strengthened city centre in Knarvik.
Inspired by ancient road systems in the Tuscan style, recessed and bounded by walls, the church building
and the landscape are intertwined trough subtle landscaping and retainer walls that describe and emphasize typical features of the site.
The project’s architectonic features, amplifies its topographical association. Heavy volumes in brick and concrete form plateaus in the slope, beneath metal-clad shapes that create a roofline with an impression of lightness. This simple structural grammar anchors the church to the site and provides a clear image of the symbolic axis between the earthbound and the divine.
