UNTERLIEZHEIM, Germany - A German chapel constructed of 144 Douglas fir logs greets cyclists passing by.
London-based architect and designer John Pawson said the chapel is intended to be encountered as a found object and heavily focuses on simplicity and contemplation. The structure sits at a rest stop for cyclists in Bavaria.
"From certain perspectives, its mass appears as a pile of logs stacked up to dry; from others, the considered placement of the elements on a concrete plinth creates a more formal impression of a piece of sculpture emerging from the forest," says Pawson.
"It's just trunks of Douglas fir stacked on top of each other," Pawson explained. "There's a minimum of cuts, so everything is solid."
Visitors only can enter through a thin opening. They're met with a dark room that draws attention to a cross-shaped cut-out.
Pawson worked with Danish wood flooring company Dinesen, who worked with six local forest owners to carefully select logs. Attendees can also sit on a bench and look through a window.
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