Chapelle St. Theresa from Avila

Bratislava – City Center, Slovakia
29 sqm
2010 – 2010

Design Team : LANG BENEDEK ASSOCIATED ARCHITECTS former studio b52 /Michal Lang, Ján Lukáč/
Photography : Magdaléna Kvasnicová

The reconstruction of the basement space of one of the buildings of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Most Holy Saviour on Jacob’s Square creates a unique place of contemplation. A place where broken things become whole and rise anew.

The interior design addresses the conversion of the basement storage space of the historic building on Jacob’s Square by architect Salzleitner into a private chapel for the Congregation of the Sisters. This is a fairly simple space with a ratio of 3:2. After selecting a basement space suitable for the desired function, the reduction of the piping was made. These were organized around the space.

The ceiling is covered by an acoustic soffit. The relaxed centre line was accentuated by a semi-transparent tightened soffit – a Barrisol with a perspective space extension. Like the floor, it descends towards the most important plastically composed wall, which forms the background of the liturgical lectern. The loosely placed tabernacle is asymmetrically composed on an axis with the entrance on one of the “shelves” that covers the technological devices. The space is complemented by a pair of arched window openings with a bevelled parapet. From the entrance through the diagonal, the statue of St. Theresa is set on the right. Next to it, the icon of Madonna and child is set between the windows. At the entrance, the original door entrance was used for the built-in cabinet.

Capacity wise the chapel serves 16 Sisters. Lighting is divided into the main lighting in the soffit, lighting of the “shelves” and the reflector lighting of the liturgical lectern. Permanent LED lighting is fixed behind the tabernacle. The material used for the floor are large-format gres tiles. The liturgical furniture is made of glued maple solid wood. The other brass liturgical devices were suitably used from a German deposit.