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Sumvitg, chapel San Benedetg
design by peter zumthor (2009 pritzker laureate), 1988

chapel or museum?
it takes some patience to arrive at the remote Sumvitg to find this chapel built in wood. visited and photographed many times by many architectural tourists since its publication, the chapel still enforces the visitor some respect for the local serenity. mostly the structure is photographed as pure and alien as possible. surprisingly the chapel stands in a very traditional context of wooden houses as found everywhere in the swiss alps. the pure aspect of the building makes it indeed fairly alien in the village, but it's intrinsic qualities are undoubtedly convincing. the low-tech construction (completely in wood) can be considered as high-tech because of its sophisticated shape.

at first glance the building seems to have nothing to do with its surroundings, but looking more precise the chapel maintains a very complex relationship with its context. yes: it's floorplan resembles a beech leaf, which is alien to the traditional rectangular built up volume. yes: it is a traditional wooden structure, no: instead of boards, it has a skin of shingles. yes: it has a concrete base, no: the chapel's bottom follows the mountain slope (while traditional houses are built on a horizontal base). yes: it's overwhelming aesthetic outshines the local traditional houses, no: its mysterious shape invites to exploration. it's distinctive shape communicates that this is a specific building with it's own distinctive function.
at this point the question rises what this function is. true, a subtle cross on the roof announces the religious aspect and the freestanding wooden bell tower hints at a church. but apart from these signals, standing in front of the entrance door there is some confusion. even here, no sign nor text nor decoration which announces its function. the outside of the building is somewhat profane; without any signs the building could be a museum as well. the mysterious volume conceals it's interior, to be explored.

probably every local (religious) visitor understands it's function without these announcements. in that sense this distinctive chapel is fully embedded in it's local culture.
the architectural scene however, probably visits the building as a museum to get impressed by the aforementioned qualities. hopefully the Sumvitg community embraces this vulnerable gem also as a cultural one, before it deteriorates.

Sumvitg, chapel San Benedetg
design by peter zumthor (2009 pritzker laureate), 1988

chapel or museum?

Sumvitg, chapel San Benedetg
design by peter zumthor (2009 pritzker laureate), 1988

chapel or museum?

Sumvitg, chapel San Benedetg
design by peter zumthor (2009 pritzker laureate), 1988

chapel or museum?

Sumvitg, chapel San Benedetg
design by peter zumthor (2009 pritzker laureate), 1988

chapel or museum?