PROGRAM: Cultural
AREA: 12,345 m²
LOCATION: Raleigh, United States
STATUS: Concept
TIMEFRAME: 2018–2020
Ebenezer Chapel is set on a sloping wooded site beside Richland Creek in Raleigh. The proposal arises from the intention to minimize the building’s presence and make topography, stone and light the primary materials of the architecture.
The chapel is excavated down to the rock layer and embedded into the terrain. The tower is virtually the only element to emerge from the landscape: it acts as a landmark, houses the bells and brings natural light and ventilation into the interior.
A continuous ramp descends around the chapel, creating a gradual transition from the forest to a place of contemplation. Inside, a single stone vault defines a space for approximately 250 people organized around the altar.
The vestibule acts as a meeting point between interior and exterior, connecting the liturgical space with the natural landscape around it.
The chapel has capacity for approximately 250 people and is organised around the altar. The interior is defined by a single stone vault that shapes the space and creates a contained, silent, and monumental atmosphere.
Above the altar, the tower connects the interior with the exterior through a skylight that brings in natural light and fresh air, turning zenithal light into the main element of the spatial experience.
The project uses natural granite extracted from the site itself, establishing a direct continuity between architecture, structure, and landscape. Its integration into the topography takes advantage of the thermal inertia of the ground and contributes to interior comfort, while zenithal lighting reduces the need for artificial light during the day.
Outside, the landscape design incorporates different plant species to create a sequence of experiences of colour, smell, and texture, while preserving the wooded character of the site.
Ebenezer Chapel is conceived as a silent architecture, where route, matter, and light come together to create an experience of contemplation. More than an isolated object, the building acts as an extension of the landscape, establishing a balanced relationship between nature, spirituality, and architecture.
DIRECTOR: Xavier Vilalta
PROJECT LEADER: Maite Boren
PROJECT TEAM: Dora Kerner, Krisztina Sárdi, Catarina Zappacosta, Monika Godlewska, Daria Gordon
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: Alpha Omega Engineering