Notre Dame du Haut (Ronchamp)

Ronchamp

Notre Dame du Haut (Ronchamp) is a Roman Catholic chapel in Ronchamp, France. Designed by Le Corbusier. Built in 1955, Ronchamp is a great and important example of modern architecture. It is a twelfth century example of both Franco-Swiss and religious architecture. Unlike many of other Le Corbusier’s designs which are orthogonal, functional, box like structures, Ronchamp comes across as an irregular piece. The building itself stylistically becomes very interesting and complex with many different architectural design elements coming together to create this almost sculptural like structure, when in fact the buildings program is relatively simple only containing two entrances, three chapels, and an alter. Le Corbusier imagined the spaces within the building as “meditative and reflective in purpose”. This was encouraged through the buildings natural lighting design. “Random” placement of windows all over the buildings facade are tapered into the wall cavities in order to amplify lighting within the chapel. The lighting combined with the stark white washed walls creates a luminous quality in the chapels. While these windows appear as randomly placed, each is used in a way to get specific lighting patterns in specific places throughout the building in order to amplify religious experiences. Ronchamp’s most self identifiable physical characteristic is the big curved roof who's aerodynamic like structure resembles an airplane wing. The piece is curved to reach up to the heavens and metaphorically symbolizes the spiritual connection one would have in this building with a higher power. The roof is supported by columns that are embedded into the walls of the building (which range from 4” to 12”), which creates a ten centimeter gap between the roof and the walls. This was designed in such a way to allow a silver like lighting to have a presence in the chapels. By having the roof sit above the walls it gives one a sense that the massive and heavy roof is weightless and light upon first glance. Ronchamp is a piece of architecture that is rooted in the context of a religious site, which creates its irregular curvature. It’s interesting to see how some of Le Corbusier’s famous architectural approaches in free plan, and freedom of facade can be used to create such an irregular shape instead of how they are usually used to create a very orthogonal box like structure. Rather than having the very regular structure define the ideas and spaces of the building, Le Corbusier let the site create curved walls and roof as an extension of the natural landscape happening around his design giving this structure an almost organic-like feeling. Le Corbusier then intensifies the spaces he created with natural elements such as lighting, by incorporating it with his freedom of design approach. Overall, the building is a very important role model in the development of modern architecture and an excellent example of how architectural design ideas and approaches can adapt to create unique and different structures that can still end up being interesting, beautiful, and successful all at the same time. 

“AD Classics: Ronchamp / Le Corbusier.” ArchDaily, 3 Nov. 2010, www.archdaily.com/84988/ad-classics-ronchamp-le-corbusier.