The Nordhavn Tiny Church

The Competition

https://arkitektforeningen.dk/nyheder/aaben-arkitektkonkurrence-tiny-church-i-nordhavnen/

The Tiny Church architecture competition was announced in 2022 with the winning entry awarded on the 7th of March 2023. The competition, the prize money and the construction costs are being funded by Kirkefondet and the Hans Egedes Parish. To accompany the competition there was also a written brief which set aside the vision for the future project, which will be completed before November this same year (Kirkefondet, 2022).

The winning entry is Tolvekanten by the Julius Neilsen Office. The design is a twelve faced form, each face representing one of the twelve disciples. The design also includes 5 trees of Robinia pseudoacacia around the church. These elements of the church were considered when designing for the surrounding landscape.

The church is also importantly not a permanent structure and will be in place until 2027. As a result the accompanying design should also be able to exist on it own without the reference of the church (Kirkefondet, 2022).

Retrieved: https://www.kirkefondet.dk/arkitektkonkurrence-tiny-church-i-nordhavn.html

S• The Fiskerihavn identity

• Sorrounding infrastructure acts a wind break

• Isolation from the city

O• The site provides a blank canvas

• A creative, inviting community

• Future Nordhavn development

W• Lack of accessibility and sidewalks

• Public transport options

• The large cell tower

• Tiny Church lacks community engagement

• Poor drainage on site

T• Future use and users are unpredictable

• Future Nordhavn development

• Gentrification

Aim: to suggest a spiritually restorative landscape that

Responds To The Needs Of The Modern Church Yard

Kirkefondet makes clear that the Tiny Church should expand the possibilities of the Hans Egedes Parish “not simply double them”

(Kirkefondet, 2022)

Kirkefondet outlines it is important the site is “able to support outdoor activities and events”

(Kirkefondet, 2022)

The church yard should ac-commodate methods of spirituality outside of the theistic.

Spaces for an individual to contemplate and reflect on their inner spiritual well-being.

The Theory of Gerotranscendence expresses “small everyday experiences of nature … as a way in which the barrier between the self and the universe is transcended.”

(Tornstam, 2005)

The site should provide people with accessible eve-ryday nature.

Moments of nature will be provided along the edge of the site to engage those passing by.

The 4 Domains of SWB describes how users should feel “a sense of awe, wonder… (and) unity with the environment.”

(Fisher, 2011)

The site possesses existing boulders and streetlamps defining certain edges and 5 trees

(Site analysis, Tiny Church analysis)

ART describes how fears and preferences can affect people’s perception of an environment.

(Kaplan & Kaplan, 1998)

The site should contain areas for activity as well as for spiritual restoration.

Areas closer to the church will facilitate more activity, social interactions with restorative areas deeper in the landscape.

ART describes how soft fascination in a landscape will have restorative mental effects

(Kaplan & Kaplan, 1998)

The site should also provide people with immersive moments of nature.

Certain parts of the design will possess secluded and immersive qualities

The environment should evoke awe and wonder from users.

Discoverable points of natural fascination will be hidden in the landscape

The Triangle of Supporting Environments prescribes a different of spatial requirements for people across 4 different states of mind.

(Grahn, 2014)

Directed inward involvement is a state of mind the design should encourage. Active participation is also important to engage.

The design will provide points of refuge and contemplation further into the park with areas of active participation around the church.

The design should include and enhance the site conditions.

Site qualities such as boulders, street lamps will and the sites unique character will be enhanced.

Kirkefondet states the site must be able to be used “passively”

(Kirkefondet, 2022)

The site should be open and accessible to the public and the local community.

The design will be inviting and have several points of access

The environment should be easily understood while still inviting exploration

The design will have a maze like quality of discovery while still maintaining a certain order.

ART describes how fears and preferences can affect people’s perception of an environment.

(Kaplan & Kaplan, 1998)

The design should be inviting so people will be inclined to use it.

The design will use layered planting to give the site coherence and complexity

Fiskerihavnen Churchyard Design solution

Complimenting that of the accompanying church, the site has been divided into 12 zones representing each of the 12 disciples. Zones 1 & 12 represent the reactivated sidewalks,to engage passes by in everyday experiences of nature. Zones 2-11 take the form of linear planting beds. Mirroring this linearity from the surrounding shipping containers, the planting beds vary in height and length forming a layered environment of coastal plants, while also creating a maze-like terrain for users to explore. Existing streetlamps have been reused and are placed at points of permeability in the planting beds as a means of way finding through the site. The character created by the round-about to the east of the site has been maintained, activating the island as vantage point to sit and observe.

Using evidence collected prior, the site is organised by the type and amount of activities the design facilitates. Close to the church is a large open area surrounded by seating, this is to accommodate the needs of the church and allow people to engage communally. As the site moves away from the church small and large pockets start to form within the planting bed. These pockets are able to facilitate passage through the beds, spaces for small groups to occupy and multiple small niches for individual contemplation and reflection.

Triangle of Supportive Environments (Grahn, 2014)

Outgoing Involvement

Active Participation

Emotional Participation

Direct Inward Involvement

Theory of Gerotranscendence (Tornstam, 2005)

Focus on the Individual

Focus on Activities

Focus on Organisation

Coastal Planting Plan

Coastal Grasses

Leymus arenarius

Ammophila arenaria

Coastal Perennials

Crambe maritima

Galium verum

Trees are Robinia pseudoacacia as per the Tiny Church planting program