angular formed church of knarvik by reiulf ramstad opens in norway

angular formed church of knarvik by reiulf ramstad opens in norway
photo by hundven-clements photography
all images courtesy of reiulf ramstad architects

the ‘community church of knarvik’, located high on a hillside in the homonymous norwegian town, has held its inaugural service. the building’s design comes from reiulf ramstad architects, who won the commission from a competition held in 2010. their scheme, now realized, is shaped with an angular formal language, which loosely references the geometries of the region’s mountains and fjords. the singular volume is wrapped in wood cladding on its exterior and interior, while featuring vertical bands of glass on its long elevations. beyond its expressive spatial quality and primary function for christian services, the facility also serves as a cultural center for a variety of gatherings such as arts and music events.

the wood clad building is shaped with angular forms
photo by hundven-clements photography

in seeking to be inclusive of the entire community, the spatial forms and detailing are not directly referential to christian symbols, but remain relatively open in meaning. in regards to access, a cascading staircase connects with the town’s center while roads and parking partially wrap the facility for car transport.

see here for designboom’s coverage of the church when it won the initial competition in 2010.