'pan long gu church' by atelier 11, beijing, china
images courtesy of atelier 11


chinese architecture studio atelier 11 has designed 'pan long gu church',
located in a scenic area of ji county in tianjing, china.
the 1,732 square meter facility reflects an understanding of chinese philosophy
that looks to harmonize the relationship between the human spirit and nature.
the church adopts a european aesthetic as a response to its nearby
spanish-style development while remaining true to the asian context.

composed of a series of intersecting masses, the design shifts to ideally link
the interior to the scenography. this offsetting generates asymmetrical spaces
for both interior and exterior environments. stairs, ramps and slopes in the building
enable the architecture to become its own topography, directing the inhabitants
throughout the church.

located in the largest mass is the primary chapel, situated towards the mountains.
a large staircase located before the pews accommodates the choir and pulpit.
an angled-down suspended ceiling works together with the angles of the staircase
to funnel the view towards the landscape.

above it on the top floor sits a secondary chapel accompanied by a large terrace.
a triangular opening in the ceiling integrates the sky into the atmosphere,
further strengthening the connection between nature, architecture and religion.


















(top left) secondary chapel
(top right) section
(bottom left) entrance
(bottom right) primary chapel



the primary chapel



the secondary chapel



transition space



construction shot



construction shot



construction shot



construction of the staircase in the primary chapel



floor plans through main chapel



sections



exploded axo



exploded axo

project info:

architects: atelier 11, beijing, china
director: xu lei
design team: xu lei, li han, meng haigang
construction drawings: li han, tang xiaoxi
area: 1,732 square meters
completion: 2011