THE RIBBON CHAPEL: AT THE MOMENT WHEN TWO FORM ONE

Written by Beverly Pereira photography: koji fujii/ nacasa& partners inc; courtesy the architect a wedding chapel in japan borrows its name from a pair of seemingly entwined spiral staircases… tokyo-based architect hiroshi nakamura has designed a wedding chapel located midway on a hill in the garden of the bella vista sakaigahama resort in onomichi, hiroshima. Both structurally and symbolically, the chapel, which is 80 square meters in size, is a reflection of the act of marriage. Before coming together to create a single ribbon at a height of 15.4 meters, the self-standing outer and inner staircases undulate, much like the twists and turns that life will inevitably bring. In addition, they make it possible for the bride and groom to go down the aisle together as a single unit, which is a traditional aspect of the wedding ceremony. During the ascent, many landscapes, including those of the ocean, mountains, sky, and faraway islands, arrive and depart in succession. At the center of the movement of the spiral is a chapel aisle that is situated in front of a tree. There are eighty chairs available for gatherings with family and friends, and they gaze out onto the ocean through the trees. By extending the shape of the chapel to rest at a position higher than the trees, the team was able to overcome the visual barrier that was created by the trees that were ten meters tall on the site. These intermediate posts are made of solid steel and have a diameter of 100 millimeters. They are exclusively responsible for supporting the inner spiral, and an overhang connects the two spirals. There are areas where the eaves have to be deep in order to hide the interior from the sun, such as at the peak, and there are other locations where the interwoven staircases work as roofs, eaves, walls, and floors. These staircases broaden in reaction to the location and purpose of the building. The lofty ceiling of the chapel not only creates an observation deck that looks out over breathtaking scenery, but it also helps to encourage natural ventilation. Glass windowpanes of varying thickness, shape, and height are kept in place by dot-point glazing arms that are connected to the inner side of the coping. This stands in addition to a skylight installation. The exterior is accomplished via the use of vertical wood panels that have been painted white in order to age in a manner that is both beautiful and natural. The coping, walls, ceiling, and window sashes are all made of titanium zinc alloy, which is resistant to the wear and tear caused by the sea breeze and is flexible enough to be applied to curvatures. Not only does the dual spiral construction of this delicate but daring glazed chapel embody the concept of marriage, but it also provides stability thanks to its dual spiral structure. It was the opinion of the architects that a single staircase would have been unstable in a horizontal plane, while it may have been susceptible to vibration in a vertical plane. On IndiaArtnDesign.com, you may see pictures of the chapel by clicking on this link.