Page 3 - AIT0122_HolyTable

SERIEN STUDIERENDE ENTWERFEN • STUDENTS DESIGN

S t Stephanus Church, planned by the Prussian architect Otto Kilburger (1830–1913)
and consecrated on 7th December 1893, was constructed of yellow brick as a
hall church with a western tower and a transept in neo-Gothic style and extensive
galleries. In 1967, it had to be profaned due to lack of need and was used as a book
depot by Halle University as of 1968. In March 2000, the 61 metres high spire and
the truss caught fire during repairs and collapsed onto the roof of the nave. Although
the damages were repaired, the use as a depot ended in 2014. Our design originated
as part of the Stephanus Quartier semester project in winter 2020/2021. The project
was supervised by Professor Axel Müller-Schöll and his assistant Fabian Rätzel in the
discipline of interior architecture. Following the decision of a (hypothetical) urban-
development competition, the church was to be used as a people-oriented centre
with a mixture of common areas and (semi-)private residential units. The utilization
concept includes a division into seven autonomous lots. For each of these sections,
individual interior architecture was wanted. The areas measure between 80 and 400
square metres and allow a high degree of details. Our task was for contract section
number one, hence the lower nave as well as the two cross-wall components on the
upper level. For this section, a garden restaurant with an adjacent unit for multi-ge-
nerational living was specified. The nave and the aisles on the ground floor as well
as the two cross-wall sections on the upper level are dominated by six massive co-
lumns. Between these extend the arches of a former gallery. The ground floor is
bound by the library installation, the voluminous space above it has a groined vault
and is illuminated by four lancet windows.
From the vegetable patch to the table: family-run garden restaurant

At ground level in the nave is the dining room of the family-run garden restaurant.
Its cuisine is based on seasonal, home-grown products. Arriving at the main entrance
of the church, the guests are welcomed with a great gesture by an open kitchen. An
installation of extended metal that newly interprets the columns and the arches of
the former gallery separates the kitchen from the dining room. In the latter, a large
table is prominently positioned in the room and around it additional tables for dif-
ferent sizes of groups are arranged. Thorough light studies in the church and on the
model showed that the ground floor in particular is not sufficiently supplied with
daylight due to the surrounding development and the very small windows. This is
why our planning intends that the restaurant as well as the residential units are en-
Axonometrie • Axonometry sured sufficient and pleasant basic light with the help of indirect spotlights. A light
channel which vertically penetrates the church building is furthermore to produced
different light- and room situations across all the levels. On the lower level, this light
Das Konzept umfasst Beete zum Anbauen von Gemüse. •The concept includes patches for growing vegetables. channel develops into a luminous opening in the ceiling that allows insight into the
living area above it, directs punctual light into the dining room and thus stages the
striking church architecture. The functional rooms are arranged in the side-aisles and
sensitively integrate into the building stock. The northern side entrance serves as the
access for the guests and the delivery of goods.
Multi-generational living in spacious rooms below the vault

The two-level upper storey of the nave is accessed through the central staircase and
an elevator. It offers room for the family of five including several generations who runs
the restaurant on the ground floor. The design combines the functional rooms in a
compact way so that the commonly used area gains spaciousness and an airy room
situation with plenty of light and attractive visual connections is produced. The bar-
rier-free first upper level is an autonomous residential unit where, for instance, the
grandparents of the family can be accommodated as well as the central family room
with a view of the vault. This is where one lives, cooks, eats and prepares for the re-
staurant. On the second upper level are the bedrooms and the children’s rooms as
well as a gallery that is generously lit by the lateral church windows. The coherence of
the restaurant and the flat becomes noticeable due to a consistent material concept
such as for instance the monolithic kitchen units of stainless steel which are the heart
of the respective unit and a modern interpretation of the classic canteen- and industrial
kitchens. Natural, bright and matte materials are in harmonious symbiosis with the
smooth, artificial and reflecting metal surfaces. The concept is based on clear and soft
colours – the colour-intense meals and the vegetables from the garden dominate the
room. The focus is thus shifted from the interior architecture onto the dishes.

038 • AIT 1/2.2022