Eap 2002 Schönle (5)

Felix Schönle

1st Prize
FH Aachen (Germany)

City Monastery at Lüttich. FH Aachen (Germany) 

A PLACE IN THIS WORLD - BUT NOT FROM THIS WORLD (JOH. 17, 9-19) _

In a monastery, the focus should be on what’s essential and all the unnecessary should be renounced. The introvert monk and the nun communities are also accessible to guests and offer them a place where they are able to rediscover their strength and peace of mind through contemplation. Behind the monastery walls a world of its own opens up, which may appear "strange" and "out of touch with this world" to outside observers.

In Liège, at the Montagne de Bueren, a new Benedictine monastery is planned at the foot of the longest stairway in Europe. It has to realize the theological self-conception of the Benedictine monks, requiring at the same time the averting as well as the opening in the midst of the city.

As a first step, an evaluation of the surrounding buildings was made: an expansion to the property on the other side of the stairway appeared obvious, since a road cleaning company located there was disturbing the entire urban surroundings. Consequently, it became possible to form and renew the urban picture, in particular the foot of Europe’s longest stairway.

The arrangement and orientation of the construction units of the monastery complex takes the property’s ground plan into consideration with its extreme height development, as well as the town planning context and the spatial demands of monastery life. modates an area of the monastery - the place for enclosure, the chapel and the guest wing. The wings are connected with each other by two ways. The division of the areas fulfils the demand of Saint Benedict, according to which the guest house should be separated from the enclosure area. His aim was to avoid any disturbance by unexpected guests and to keep his brethren from having any contact with the world. The complex’s attitude toward the outside space is equally based on this averting. The three parts of the building are arranged on the property so that the monastery complex turns away from the urban area. The enclosure wing and the guest wing open only to the chapel located in the centre and to the inner courts of the complex. Only the portal of the monastery presents an open glass
facade to the city and invites for a visit and a dialogue with the monks.

 

Eap 2002 Schönle (4)
Eap 2002 Schönle (3)
Eap 2002 Schönle (2)
Eap 2002 Schönle (1)