Bronze Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2021

Gospel Church

by Shi Zhe Lo

A' Design Award 2021 Bronze Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
Awarded April 15, 2021
CLIENT: Secure Stone Architectural Space Planning Firm
Estimated Number of Design Views: 12,214
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About Gospel Church

Gospel is a church located in a coastal city in Yunlin County, Taiwan. The exterior is shaped like a Chinese screen, and twelve pillars respond to strong wind while symbolizing the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The building covers 496 square meters. For safety, the concrete weight and the rebar thickness were increased, and the raft foundation was deepened and widened. The building form guides wind into the interior, which reduces the use of air conditioning, and LED lighting lowers energy use. A dedicated area stores up to 20 tons of water.

Press Kit

Unique Properties: This design project is a church located in a city by the sea. The exterior is shaped into a Chinese-style screen; twelve pillars are designed not only to present the feature of strong wind, but also to symbolize Twelve Tribes of Israel.
Dimensions & Packaging: The project is 496 square meter.
Tags: Church, Space, Architecture, Religion, Christian
Production Technology: The consideration of safety is one big point of this project. The concrete weight has been increased; the rebar has been replaced with a thicker one. Also, the raft foundation has been deepened and widened. Besides, the concrete’s resistance to acids and alkali improved, and the waterproofing is increased by 30%. Furthermore, the designer uses the caulk that is highly resistant to acids and alkali.
Design Challenge: The designer tries to make good use of the land; due to the legal restrictions, he turns the stairwell into a small greeting place where people can enjoy the outside scenery through the transparent window. The dry spell in this area is longer than other cities; to solve the water problem, the designer especially designs a place to increase the water storage which can contains up to 20 tons of water. In terms of eco-friendliness, wind is able to convect due to the shape of the building, leading wind into the interior and reduce the use of air conditioner. Moreover, LED lighting is widely used in the space to diminish energy consumption.
Project Duration: The project finished in June 2020 in Yunlin County, Taiwan.
Operation Flow: The design concept is originated from a common screen in Chinese society, which is full of an obscure sense of mystery. The designer aims to make it a distinctive landmark. The large white screen, surrounding low walls, lighting which penetrates the punching plate and planting, and larch trees planted in the east-north side make the design more layer and exotic aesthetic, attracting to non-Christians to have a look as well.
Research: During the execution, the designer analyses the climate and location data, researches the area planning, deliberates the law, calculates the area, designs the mode, tests the wind tunnel, and so on. It took almost half a year to solemnly and carefully complete the preliminary works by collecting and analysing data so that the brilliant project could be finished.
Inspiration: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. - New International Version, James 1:1 Being the chosen people, Twelve Tribes of Israel play important roles in Christianity. As for Christ, he is the saviour and judge of the world. To establish the relationship between people and the church, the designer merges the above elements into his design.
Image Credits: Image #1-5: Photographer Chi-Min Wu, Gospel, 2020.