The Bosjes Chapel in South Africa by Steyn Studio and TV3 Architects

Located within the Bosjes Farm vineyard in Western Cape, South Africa, is the distinctive Bosjes Chapel designed by British architecture firm Steyn Studio.

Inspired by the mountainous backdrop, the chapel mimics the natural ‘rise’ of the mountain and ‘fall’ of the valley with its a peculiar sculptural form that is a direct abstraction of its natural surroundings.  To achieve this light, elegant form, the architects designed the roof to also become the walls and columns in essence creating a self supporting structure, that is basically a thin concrete shell.

DRAWINGS COURTESY DEZEEN

On completion of the design, Steyn Studio then collaborated with local architecture firm TV3 Architects to build the chapel. Sitting on a raised concrete plinth, the aforementioned concrete shell ‘appears’ to be held up by glass walls which offer unobstructed views of the surrounding vista. The plinth is surrounded by a reflecting pond thats makes the chapel appear to float. A narrow walkway over the reflecting pond leads to the entrance of the chapel while interior lighting accentuates the elegant curves of the ceiling/roof.

You can read a much more robust description on the steyn studio website.

PROJECT DETAILS
  • Date: 2011 – 2016
  • Design Architect: Steyn Studio
  • Location: R43| Witzenberg, South Africa
  • Gross Floor Area: 200sqm
  • Executive Architect: TV3 Architects
  • Landscape Architect: CNdV
  • Quantity Surveyor: De Leeuw
  • Structural Engineers: Henry Fagan 
  • Services Engineer: Solution Station
  • Planning Consultant: Ron Brunings
  • Heritage Consultants: Graham Jacobs, Elzet Albertyn & Lize Malan
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