Design intentions
This project is located in the Fangshan District of Beijing. The chapel sits on a corner of a large residential community’s central intersection. Both high-rise towers and low-rise retail border the site. Since the chapel is built for Chinese Christians, architects are given the opportunity to question the tradition of western church design {especially the Gothic style}. To emphasize the spirit of Nature, inspiration is drawn from Chinese temples in terms of space, form and light. Materials are chosen carefully to fade or age in time. Consideration for aging and fading are important elements in the courtyard and landscape design. Defoliation, rain drip, snow print and ice in the pool are treated as design objects. Drawing from the philosophy of the classic Chinese garden, the building itself is just a frame for Nature.