Beach Chapel

In Beidaihe (CN), a coastal town east of Beijing, there is a chapel directly on the beach. At high tide, the chapel is literally submerged in water; only the slightly elevated access path and the entrance stairs allow entry on dry feet. The chapel by Vector Architekten lies like flotsam on the beach. The geometric form allows it to be identified as man-made. The bell tower is set off from the main roof by a deep cut. The light guides in the chapel give a lot of sacredness to the prayer space, which is oriented towards the sea. In the dark, the precisely placed lighting emphasizes the strong geometric form.