Carpathian gothic
Ukrainian Carpathians, 2022
This project for the St Volodymyr church has been created some time ago as a student assignment. Over the past seven years, I have revised and purified the design of the building. The initial concept was based on the ideas of critical regionalism, a style that utilizes the features of local architecture, and incorporated elements of premodern low-tech. However, after conducting in-depth research on traditional Ukrainian architecture, I came to the conclusion that rather than tying the project to a certain "style", a different approach must be taken. One that places the principles of western Ukrainian architecture at the heart of the design. Presented here is the final form of the project.
Analyzing the precedents
The image above represents a few selected examples of how western Ukrainians approach the planning and designing of their churches. The building plan is often modelled after the first church described in the Bible and called the "Tabernacle" or "Tent of the congregation". The church with this type of floor plan is often referred to as a “three-divided church”. The name, in this case, reflects the structure in a pretty straightforward manner. The internal volume of the church is divided into the entrance, praying hall, and altar. The shape of the building is usually stretched upwards. This is highly practical given the heavy snowstorms which occur in the Carpathian mountains during the winter.
The concept
St Volodymyr’s Church presented in this project has a parabolic shape and is vertically subdivided into three main volumes: the prayer hall, the chorus and the dome. The roof windows make a unique addition to the archetypical church design. However, St Volodymyr’s church is created with deep respect for the classic Western Ukrainian church architecture, and quotes it directly. One such traditional element is the black shingled roof. It is commonly covered with oil (petroleum) for water resistance, giving this part of the building its’ signature color. The shape continues the landscape elevation at the site and creates the feeling of an organically grown structure.
