Bagsværd Church
200best ES
Jørn Utzon
1976
Type
Religious
Tags
local drive , domestic spirituality, 200Best
Visitability
Allowed
Description
Bagsværd Church is located in a semi-rural area on the outskirts of the Danish capital. The project presents a marked difference between its exterior – close to the utilitarian buildings of the local farms – and its interior – a space of subtle emotional intensity. There is also a duality between the plan and the section. In the plan, the building is organised according to a rational grid pattern. In the section, however, a series of curved planes on the roof create a landscape that accompanies the space longitudinally, providing acoustic and light conditions. One of the project’s greatest achievements is the way light enters the building. Inspired by the way clouds filter the sun’s rays, the curves of the roof hide the skylights in the outer skin. This allows the light to penetrate the walls of the church in a nuanced and subtle way, avoiding direct light and providing a peaceful and ethereal atmosphere around the altar. The perimeter of the religious complex is occupied by a large gabled gallery with zenithal lighting that connects its different spaces, including a meeting room and various rooms for the parish community.