In Brazil, Oscar Niemeyer was commissioned to design the St. Francis of Assisi Church in Pamphula, Belo Horizonte. This church (figure 1) was completed in 1942 and resulted in a dome-like structure, consisting of four concrete parabolic arches which span over the nave, altar, annexes and sacristy. Distinctive features of this unconventional structure include the mosaics that cover the exterior wall surface as well as the asymmetrical, free-standing bell tower which tapers towards the ground (Lemos & Jackson, 1995:233-235). As stated in the previous chapter, Brazilian Modernism greatly impacted on the development of modern architecture in South Africa. Roberts and Cassells’ church in Bloemfontein (figure 2), which was originally built for the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in 1959, bears a striking resemblance to Niemeyer’s church. The structural similarity can be drawn between the concrete parabolas of Niemeyer’s structure and the barrel vaults of Roberts and Cassells’ church (Verster, 2013:75).
Figure 1: Exterior of Niemeyer’s St. Francis of Assisi Church, 1943 in 2011. Photograph by Edgar Jiménez. (Wikipedia Commons).
Figure 2: Northern elevation of Roberts and Cassell’s Church, Bloemfontein, 1959 in 2012. Photograph by Wanda Verster. Courtesy of the photographer.
European examples include Modernist churches for congregations in France and Finland by Le Corbusier and Alvar Aalto. Le Corbusier’s Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut at Ronchamp in France, completed in 1955 is described as an expressive, sculptural concrete structure (Pardo, 1971:24). As seen in figure 3, the thick, sloping walls, curved roof reminiscent of billowing sails and the irregular arrangement of slot windows exemplify Le Corbusier’s deviation from the cubic symmetry which dictated his early work (Pardo, 1971:25-26)
In 1958, Alvar Aalto completed his Vuoksenniska church in Imatra, Finland (figure 4). The three curved sections on the east side of the exterior correspond to the interior layout of the church which consists of three consecutive halls divided by a set of sliding partitions (Banham, 1962:126). Taking the importance of light and acoustics into account, Aalto’s design includes the careful placement of vertical windows and a skylight which illuminate the altar. Additionally, the curved walls and vaulted ceilings enhance the acoustic qualities of the space (Jencks, 1973:177-179). A striking feature of exterior design is the stark contrast between the horizontal lines created by the row of windows dividing the copper roof and the white substructure and the pronounced verticality of the tall, white church tower. This church inspired certain design elements as seen in the work of the South African architect, Pieter J. Pelser.115 The similarities between Aalto and Pelser’s approaches to church architecture will be clarified in the discussion of Pelser’s churches.
Figure 4: Church of the three crosses in Imatra, Finland, 1958 in 2005. Photograph by MKFI. (Wikipedia Commons).
In the United States of America, Frank Lloyd Wright completed the early-Modernist Unity Temple in 1908 for the Unitarian Congregation in Oak Park, Illinois. This building (figure 5) exemplifies Wright’s masterful use of reinforced concrete, which is expressed in the obstinate solidity of exterior (Weston, 2001:54). The most important feature of the structure is the layout and design of the interior, “Wright cites this church as his first real expression of the idea that the space within creates the reality of the building” (Heyer, 1967:63). His use of
115 Although his name invariably appears as ‘Pieter J. Pelser’ on the cornerstones of his church buildings, Pelser
lists his full name as ‘Pieter Johannes Charles Pelser’ in his curriculum vitae, compiled in November 2014 (Pelser, 2015c). The former will be used in reference to Pelser throughout the writing of this thesis and the latter will only feature in the biographical introduction.
light, which penetrates the interior through the clerestories and grid of roof lights, adds to the vertical character of the space which creates a sense of volume (Cantacuzino, 1966:12).
Figure 5: Unity Temple, 1908 in 2007. Photograph by Ivo Shandor. (Wikipedia Commons).
Figure 6: First Unitarian Society Meeting House in Madison, WI, 1951 in 2012. Photograph by s.n. (Wikipedia Commons).
Approximately 40 years later, Wright completed his church for the Unitarian Society in Madison, Wisconsin in 1951. Wright sought the architectural solution to create an ideal space for worship. It was found in the shape of a triangle, which determined the layout of the structure. The symbolism of the building is expressed in the triangulated copper roof, as seen in figure 6, which emulates, “the gesture of hands in prayer” (Nicholson, Wright & Wright, 1962:44). The triangular design of this church is significant to the development of Modernist church architecture in South Africa. In his book on the principles of Reformed church
architecture, Koorts asserts that Wright’s Unitarian church in Madison inspired the
Kappiekerk116 (translated by Peters and Kotze as the ‘bonnet church’) which became a
116 The design of the Kappiekerk consists of a double-pitched roof which reaches ground level. This gives form
popular design for Afrikaner Protestant churches since the 1950s (Koorts, 1974:60-61; Peters & Kotze, 2013:35).