Brückner & Brückner Architekten
Into the Light · A new life for the Christuskirche Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz
best architects 25
renovation and addition
Place
Tirschenreuth | Würzburg Germany
Studio
Photos
Constantin Meyer
Description
Over the last five
centuries, the Christuskirche has been a Catholic monastery church and a
Lutheran church but also a granary, military hospital, bakery and apartment; it
was hence repeatedly subjected to destruction and reconstruction. The
Christuskirche grew rather than developed in the second half of the 20th
century, without a coherent overall concept. The church had structural, fire-protection-related,
functional, liturgical and design deficits. The closure, downsizing and
conversion of churches is a major issue of our times and a topic that we have often
had the privilege of dealing with. In these times we feel a strong longing for
spaces with a special atmosphere. We therefore wanted to reveal the character
of the Christuskirche and at the same time prepare it for the future. Our most fervent
image for the interior of the church is a bright, luminous vessel for faith. We
open up the choir and break up all spatial edges. The space is built of light.
The view goes into infinity –with the light at the end of the nave as a symbol of resurrection, just like the
walk-in altarpiece at eye level with the congregation. The room can be used
separately from the nave, for example for concerts, baptisms or services for
the smallest of children. The entire church interior is reduced, warm and
bright, with the floor, furniture and principals all of a piece.