By Monk Mackenzie
Monk Mackenzie was commissioned to redesign a small 120 seat, non denominational Chapel in Auckland. The existing chapel was planned with a strong directional focus towards the eastern end wall. The design intent was to play on the ambient and ephemeral quality of light by introducing a series of curved blade walls.
The varying curvature and spacing of the three timber blades, either side of the central cruciform, allowed a shifting, subtle, gradation of light to permeate the space.
Each curved blade wall having a tighter radii and deeper profile than the next. The tonal shift and contrast further accentuated by the use of thin vertical strips of American Oak.
The end result is an elegant, quietly sophisticated and highly contemplative space.
Monk Mackenzie is a highly creative, multi-disciplinary studio of architects and designers. The studio was established to provide clients with elegant, sculptural and poetic solutions to complex briefs.
Both partners have worked with some of the most innovative architectural firms in the world including the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) and Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM) in New York, along with considerable local experience.
We take our clients financial imperatives, procurement strategies and construction schedules seriously and ensure that these parameters form part of the solution we provide.
The studio aims to make a lasting contribution to the built environment and to do so in a sustainable and environmentally intelligent way.
Monk Mackenzie is an award-winning architectural practice with a record of designing and delivering unique architectural solutions.