Thorncrown Chapel

Fay Jones
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
1980
Construction:System:exposed light wood frame
Context:Rural, wooded

Commentary
"So it is not only the form of elements and their relationship in and to the landscape that is fundamental in site considerations, but shapes and materials, methods of building character, and associative cultural and remembered image evocations are also important. Such is Thorncrown Chapel by Fay Jones in rural Arkansas, an architecture which complements and, in creating a special sense of place, 'almost' completes the site. The character of the site dictated the method of construction, by 'not using anything too big for two men to carry along a narrow hillside path.' Jones's use of wooden tensile members in an overhead cross-lattice system holding the structure together, in fragility of the building and its surroundings, as life and nature itself is fragile and special. The rhythmic quality of the structure set against the calm magnitude of nature creates a sense of sacred space: The music of the fleeting the forest is a layering of vertical trunks and raking branches so is the building a canopy of layered and meshlike space. Thorncrown Chapel succeeds on yet another level, that of the symbolic: Using massing reminiscent of rural covered bridges, the image of shelter on the road of life is in keeping with the ecclesiastical understanding of nature. This is where regionalism through site and climate can play a vital role in making architecture not personally idiosyncratic in an ego or alternatively abstract-rule-applied sense, but special in a locally sensitive and relative sense."

— from Paul Heyer. American Architecture: Ideas and Ideologies in the Late Twentieth Century. p102-103.

"This exquisite chapel in the Ozark woods is small (24 feet by 60 feet by 48 feet high) and walled with glass. It rises from fieldstone floors and two low fieldstone walls; otherwise it is built almost entirely of standard-size lumber worked with the attention to detail of a master cabinetmaker. Repeating diamond shapes loft upward to its overhanging peaked roof. It has been compared to Lloyd Wright's Wayfarers Chapel...."

— from Sylvia Hart Wright. Sourcebook of Contemporary North American Architecture: From Postwar to Postmodern. p63.

Image from model

The skippy.

More info from the Thorncrown site.

The Story of Thorncrown Chapel
Nestled in a woodland setting, Thorncrown Chapel rises forty-eight feet into the Ozark sky. This magnificent wooden structure contains 425 windows and over 6,000 square feet of glass. It sits atop over 100 tons of native stone and colored flagstone. The chapel's simple design and majestic beauty combine to make it what critics have called "one of the finest religious spaces of modern times."

Thorncrown was the dream of Jim Reed, a native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. In 1971 Jim purchased the land which is now the site of the chapel to build his retirement home. However, other people admired his location and would often stop at his property to gain a better view of the beautiful Ozark hills. Instead of fencing them out, Jim decided to invite them in. One day while walking up the hill to his house, the idea came to him that he and his wife should build a glass chapel in the woods to give wayfarers a place to relax in an inspiring way.

Shortly thereafter Jim met E. Fay Jones, a professor at the university of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Much to Jim's surprise, Jones was quick to accept the proposal to design the chapel. On March 23, 1979 the construction crew broke ground on the mountain side. Jim's dream looked like it would soon be a reality.

However, half way through the project, funds began to run out. Soon the building process ground to a halt. In his own words, it looked like Jim had made "...the biggest mistake of my life." He desperately tried to raise the necessary funds to complete his dream, but all of his efforts failed.

Finally, one evening Jim took what he thought would be one last walk down to his half-finished chapel. He would take one last look and never return. Then the unexpected happened.

He said, "I am not proud of the fact, but the first time I ever got down on my knees was on the chapel floor. I prayed more seriously than ever before. All the trials and tribulations gave me the humility to get on my knees."

This was a turning point in Jim's life and in the construction of the chapel. In a few short days all the money Jim needed was made available. On July 10, 1980 Thorncrown Chapel opened. Since then almost four million people have visited this little chapel on the hillside. Thorncrown has won numerous architectural awards. It has been featured on television programs such as NBC Nightly News and the 700 Club. Almost every major magazine in the country has carried a story about the chapel including Time, Newsweek, and Parade.

Thorncrown Chapel is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It is located on Highway 62 West three miles outside of Eureka Springs. There is no admission fee, but donations are accepted. Every tour group will receive a presentation telling the story of the chapel followed by an inspirational song by one of the Thorncrown musicians. There is ample parking for buses and RVs. So, while in the Ozarks, stop by what many have called one of the most beautiful and inspiring chapels in the world. It will be a visit you will not soon forget.

The Architecture of Thorncrown Chapel
Thorncrown Chapel was designed by world renowned architect E. Fay Jones. Fay was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1921. He studied at the University of Arkansas, Rice University, the University of Oklahoma, and finally under his mentor Frank Lloyd Wright at the Taliesin Fellowship.

Jones’ awards include the 1981 American Institute of Architecture National Honor Award for Thorncrown Chapel and the AIA Gold Medal (1990). Thorncrown was listed fourth on the AIA’s top ten buildings of the 20th century. When alive, Mr. Jones was recognized as one of the top ten living architects of the 20th century.

The inspiration for Thorncrown Chapel was Sainte Chappelle, Paris’ light filled gothic chapel. Fay affectionately labeled Thorncrown’s style as “Ozark Gothic.” The chapel rises 48 feet into the sky with over 6,000 square feet of glass and 425 windows. Its dimensions are 24 feet by 60 feet. The chapel is made with all organic materials to fit its natural setting. The only steel in the structure forms a diamond shaped pattern in its wooden trusses. The building has a native flagstone floor surrounded with a rock wall which gives the feeling that the chapel is part of its Ozark hillside.

In order to preserve Thorncrown’s natural setting, Fay decided that no structural element could be larger than what two men could carry through the woods. The building materials are primarily pressure treated pine 2x4s, 2x6s, and 2x12s. The larger elements of the building such as the trusses were assembled on the floor and raised into place.

Light, shadows, and reflections play a major role in Thorncrown’s ambience. Because of the chapel’s elaborate trusses and the surrounding trees, constantly changing patterns of light and shadows appear during the day. At night reflections of the crosses in the lights appear to surround the entire building. Consequently, Thorncrown never looks quite the same. Its appearance changes during each hour of the day and during the different seasons of the year.

Image from model

Did you model this?

Great post guys. To me this building is truly timeless and beautiful.

Did you model this?

Great post guys. To me this building is truly timeless and beautiful.

No, I forget where I got this. It's been a while. Great building.

oh, beautiful Chapel :)
thanks jake :not worth

good stuff my friend, good stuff.

No, I forget where I got this. It's been a while. Great building.
on the official SU forum I think
... :cheers:

Great building + Great post!! :craqueur:

the only thing I'd say is missing from this would be the surrounding forest. You can't experience this building as an isolated form, but as an extension of the surrounding environment. So I'd say we need to get some trees in this one.

Your post pleased me 'cause I remember I visited the Wayfarers Chapel by Lloyd Wright (Frank's Lloyd Wright's son) some years ago.
http://www.wayfarerschapel.org/wayfarers/w_arch.html

The skippy.
welldone rendering technique. i like the choice of color and views.

This is one of my favorite buildings and its alot of fun to play with the model. Turning on shadows and playing with the month/hours gives you a good sense of the building.

Can anyone tell me how what the building's orientation is and how I would set that in sketchup. The model indicates fayetteville georgia, but the orientation is 0.0.0

Thanks

This is one of my favorite buildings and its alot of fun to play with the model. Turning on shadows and playing with the month/hours gives you a good sense of the building.

Can anyone tell me how what the building's orientation is and how I would set that in sketchup. The model indicates fayetteville georgia, but the orientation is 0.0.0

Thanks
as churches are often perfectly 'orient'ed to east, this perhaps makes sense??? :wondering

While doing a bit of research on Fay Jones I came across this site at the University of Arkansas. Incredible documentation of the construction of this amazing building, as well as some of the drawings.

http://libinfo.uark.edu/specialcollections/manuscripts/FayJones/projectgallery.asp?project=THO1980&image=THO1980%5B10%5Dweb.jpg&caption=Looking%20up%20at%20Thorncrown%20from%20ex terior&photographer=Fay%20Jones%20Studio

I did an entire thread on Fay Jones - For Reference (http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1641&highlight=fay+jones)