Churchgoer or not, many people have become accustomed to places of worship being grandiose, every tile, glass and stone decorated with heavy symbolism throughout; the Saint Francis Chapel is everything but grandiose. Instead, it focuses on the intimacy of meditation. As written on the Red Dot website, from which the Saint Francis Chapel has received an award for design concept, "It conveys simplicity and openness, the reduction to elementariness, and the restraint of symbolism."
Designed by Rafael Hintersteiner, the Saint Francis Chapel offers a room of possibility for those in need of reflection. Reduced to structural components, its main concern lies in the inscription on the exterior wall, "pax et bonum." This means "peace and goodness" in latin. As long as people experience that, there is no need for anything else.
Sparse Block Churches
Saint Francis Chapel by Rafael Hintersteiner Focuses on Peace and Goodness
Trend Themes
1. Minimalist Places of Worship - There is an opportunity for designers and architects to create minimalist places of worship that focus on intimacy and meditation rather than grandiosity.
2. Simplicity in Religious Architecture - The trend towards simpler, more minimalist religious architecture offers an opportunity for materials and construction methods innovation.
3. Reduction to Elementariness in Religious Spaces - The reduction to elementariness in religious spaces creates opportunities for innovative design concepts and alternative materials uses.
Industry Implications
1. Religious Architecture - Designers and architects who are able to create minimalist places of worship will become leaders in the religious architecture industry.
2. Construction Industry - The trend towards simpler religious architecture creates an opportunity for the construction industry to explore alternative construction methods and materials.
3. Non-religious Meditation Spaces - The minimalist trend in religious spaces inspires the creation of non-religious meditation spaces in office buildings, public parks and other public spaces.