Ronchamp Roof Shell Drawing Andre Maisonnier

The large shell like roof of the ronchamp chapel in designing it le corbusier was reportedly inspired by an empty crab shell he found in long island is made of two 6 centimeter thick 2 36 inches concrete membranes separated by a gap up to 2 26 meters 7 41 feet wide the upper membrane is covered with waterproofing aluminum tiles.

Ronchamp roof shell drawing andre maisonnier.

On my drafting board i have a crab shell that i picked up on long island in 1946. Two membranes of reinforced concrete six centimeters thick and 2 26 meters apart. The concrete shell of the roof is loft rough just as it comes from the formwork. On the interior the walls are white.

By building this chapel i wanted to create a place of silence prayer peace inner joy said le corbusier on the inauguration day of the building. Watertightness is effected by a built up roofing with an exterior cladding of aluminium. Notre dame du haut church in ronchamp france in 1950 swiss born french ar chi tect le cor bu sier de si gned the pil gri mage church of notre dame de haut lo ca ted in ro ch amp france. A manifesto of modern sacred architecture the chapel of notre dame du haut is a fine example of the material union between past and present.

The shell roof juts out to form a large canopy. The benches of african wood created by savina. Unveiled on 25th june 1955 on a hill overlooking the town of ronchamp as the construction was carried out by andré maisonnier an architect and a loyal colleague of le corbusier. The towers are constructed of stone masonry and are capped by cement domes.

The most noticeable aspect the roof is based on a crab shell. On my drafting board i have a crab shell that i picked up on long island in 1946. There are however sixteen fortified concrete pillars that carry the shell of the roof. In addition to the chapel there are on the hill two other buildings designed by le corbusier.

The concrete shell of the roof is loft rough just as it comes from the formwork. Le corbusier was well aware of the importance of keeping ronchamp at the center of this tradition. It will become the chapel roof. Two membranes of reinforced concrete six centimetres thick and 2 26 meters.

It will become the chapel roof. Built on piles it was the realization of andré maisonnier the chapel de ronchamp work supervisor and student of le corbusier. Foots in the water and roof in the trees the maisonnier house maison maisonnier is such the spirit of le corbusier in the charming village of chemilly on the banks of the saone river. The vertical elements of the chapel are surfaced with mortar sprayed on with a cement gun and thon white washed both on the interior and exterior.

It is flooded by intense natural light. Designed to receive crowds of gatherers here he has opened up the east wall to create the open air chapel or exterior sanctuary.