Chapel, Helsinki

In a reversal of the biblical tale of the moneylenders invading the temple, it has become fashionable to bring God into the haunts of moneylenders. How things have changed in two thousand years.

One of the new shopping and transportation hubs in Finland is the Kamppi Center in Helsinki. It will soon also be enriched by the addition of a humble wooden chapel for silent reflection and retreat. Like the fine Hirvensalo Chapel by Sanaksenaho Architects in Turku, the chapel initiative is ecumenical. In 2004 the Parish Union of Helsinki held an ideas competition for a small building for contemplation and prayer to be located on big and windy Narinkka Square.

But since then the Parish Union has had second thoughts. Together with the city-planning department it sought new ideas and this time stipulated a wooden building. Several architects offered their services and the city has finally accepted a new, wooden chapel designed by K2S Architects. There have also been changes to the original programme, so that the chapel will now contain a small office, washroom, storage space, a foyer and exhibition spaces and, most importantly, a closed, bowl-shaped retreat clad inside and out with wood.

After testing a variety of forms, including an octagonal one, the architects finally opted for a very simple, organic shape. Since most of the new neighbouring buildings are of steel and glass and based on some kind of repetitive, grid-like geometry, K2S proposed a form and materiality that stands in direct contrast to its surroundings. Kimmo Lintula, from K2S, explains the design by saying that they want to keep the main space, the retreat, as simple and closed as possible. He refers to old towns and cities where a church or chapel can be accessed from a busy square but where, once inside, the atmosphere is totally different, offering a complete change of mood.

The biggest challenge for the builders will be to preserve the fresh wood colour of the smooth, pine-clad exterior; a coating will be applied to counteract the effects of pollution and natural colour changes. The interior will be clad with larch. Other materials used in the building are stone, glass, metal and smooth concrete. The immediate, and at this moment very amorphous, surroundings of the future chapel, will also be treated with care and given a more park-like appearance.

The new chapel has already been disparagingly referred to as Noah's Ark waiting for the deluge and as just another careerist project that looks like a cheap wooden bowl. Others regard it as an elegant and fine contrast to the new, hyper-commercial Kamppi. Some continue to question the selection procedure: there was an open competition, so what happened, did the wrong proposal win? There seems to be some confusion about the professional ethics in this matter. SAFA, the Association of Finnish Architects has stated that it will address the ethical issues later this spring.