Bishop Selwyn Chapel

Practice
Fearon Hay Architects Ltd

Category
Public Architecture

Location
New Zealand

Seamless in planning and structure, this pavilion with its floating, delicate gold ceiling appears to be held lightly against Charles Towle’s existing brickwork cathedral, avoiding its touch. In fact, the structure is cleverly dissolved and layered, then distributed across the space as if by chance. The spatial boundaries of the chapel extend beyond its glazing to the garden designed by Jackie Bowring and the cladding of neighbouring St Mary’s. In contrast to the delicate gesture of gold, the ground condition is well-articulated and firm, descending to the cross placed in a lowered courtyard before the garden; the tilt on the cross appears to acknowledge the rose window of the cathedral. This pavilion chapel is of excellent standard throughout, unfailing in its poetry and grace.

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