architektur3 has built a wooden church tower with a triangular top, located within the black forest in bleibach, germany. the main elements of the design, includig the steep roof pitch, the triangular basic form and the materiality all derive from the church inventory. the result is a building that bundles so many of the influences found that it could not stand in any other place.

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 1
the triangular basic form and the steep roof pitch are derived from the church inventory
all images courtesy of architektur3

 

 

architektur3 has used accoya acetylated wood for the facade cladding and the roofing. this specific wood, which gains a high degree of durability and resistance to pests because of its specific treatment, is particularly suitable for outdoor use. due to the fixed available board lengths, a distinct facade rhythm has been developed in which the vertical window openings are integrated. the presented slats for directional sound propagation and the sliding shutters of the viewing platform are made of the same material. the walls can be opened on all three sides, providing a pleasing view over the valleys and the surrounding mountains. this also gives a tourist component to the tower, which is frequently open for guided tours.

 

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 2
the church bells that previously damaged the gothic choir by vibrations, find their new home in the wooden tower

 

 

above the belfry there are different levels in the tower head, which serve as breeding grounds for rare bird and bat species. the steeple building is made purely from wood, that as a construction material, can absorb the dynamic loads of the swinging church bells of the 33-meter-high tower particularly well. the cross-laminated timber panels selected for this purpose have a high degree of rigidity and are ideally suited to this planning task. in addition, by using wood, a design similarity to the supporting structure of the church tent from the 1970s could be established. last but not least, wood, or silver fir to be precise, is a sustainable building material available in the black forest.

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 7
the sunlight gives the tower a lively appearance and makes it appear different on each side

 

 

although there is no clock on the facade of the tower, the time of day can be read from its casing. the triangular ground plan means that one facade is usually in the sun and the other two are in the shade. the total cost of the tower amounted to 658,500 €. of this amount, 110,000 € have so far been contributed by donations from the local population. a further €100,000 has been funded by the european union through a support programme for innovative timber construction. the construction of the tower has made it possible to preserve and secure the condition of the adjacent gothic choir.

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 8
cross-laminated wood panels made of local silver fir were used for walls, steps and landings

 

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 9
the basic shape of the church tower is based on an equilateral triangle, which in christian mythology stands for the trinity

 

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 3the viewing platform allows everyone to experience the building and its surroundings

 

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 10
the church tower can be recognized from afar as a wooden building

 

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 11
accoya wood has excellent environmental values and is very well suited as an exterior facade material 

 

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 12
the new church tower of the parish of st. georg is a landmark in the centre of three black forest valleys

 

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 4

the western elevation shows how the church tower complements the church stock

 

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 5the tower consists of three parts; the tower shaft, the bell frame and the tower head. in the shaft there is a staircase that follows the triangular ground plan and leads to a viewing platform

 

wooden tower in the black forest by architektur3 6
the triangular ground plan of the tower is inspired by the design of the modern church tent and closes off its structure on the west side

 

 

project info:

 

name: church tower st. georg in bleibach
designer: architektur3
author site: architektur3

 

 

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom