brother klaus chapel

in parallel to the building of the diocesan museum in cologne a private client gained the services of the swiss architect peter zumthor in order to build a chapel on his land close to mechernich. this chapel is dedicated to Brother Klaus the peacemaker saint. tamped concrete was introduced in layers between a tent-shaped construction made out of spruce trunks inside and a vertical casing outside. the tree trunks were later burnt, so that a dark patina was created inside. the interior space is dark and cave-like, it is open at the top and thus leaves the space open to the elements. the tower, looking minimalist and block-like from outside, appears in the hilly eifel landscape as a landmark that is visible from far away.