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"We gave lots of thought
to how it may be used when
there is no performance"
This special building articulates much
of OPEN's broader philosophies about
doing architecture. They are human-
ists and Chapel of Sound is a deeply
humanistic endeavor. It's also intensely
rational, a structure of two forces: the
intuitive (or emotional reaction) and the
logical (function). That these forces are
in harmony is what makes Chapel of
Sound as architecturally elegant as it is
transcendent, a feeling amplified by large
shafts of natural light that stream through
the rooftop void. Bronze handrails and
doors, meanwhile, lend add warmth to
the concrete environment.
"We gave lots of thought to how it may
be used when there is no performance,"
the architects explain of the structure,
whose seamless and simplistic-appearing
monolith disguises sophisticated modern
technologies integrated within. The result
is calm and peaceful and at the same time
feeds one's natural inclination to think and
explore. "It feels serene and comfortable
for one person alone in the space" with
"many viewing platforms for people to
appreciate the beautiful landscape and
feel fully connected to nature. We hope
the building conveys something primor-
dial and spiritual, which reflects the reality
of nature itself. In our contemporary life
overflowing with information, anxiety, and
virtual reality, we feel it is more important
than ever to reconnect with our innate
sensitivities; to see, to feel, to hear, to
sense with our own body and mind. And
[to] be at a whole with nature." Imagine: a
building named Chapel of Sound to quell
the noise of our world.
In the end, Li and Huang envisioned
and realized a venue for multiple experi-
ences: listening to music in an acoustical
space surrounded by nature, gathering
communally, or spending time alone solo
in contemplation of a place, an age, the
natural world. Put another way, "The world
is full of gigantic spaces," Li told The World
Around. "Here you can feel it. That is the
human scale. The human relationship. It's
very important." openarch.com
44 DIGS.NET
| 5.3.24
