A Sculptural Wooden Chapel at the Forest's Edge | John Pawson

Hidden at the edge of a forest in Unterliezheim, Germany, the Wooden Chapel is one of the most poetic and restrained works by renowned British architect John Pawson. Completed between 2017 and 2018 as part of the acclaimed Seven Chapels initiative, the project was commissioned by the Siegfried and Elfriede Denzel Foundation to create a place of pause, reflection, and shelter within the landscape. Designed for cyclists, walkers, and visitors alike, the chapel continues a centuries-old European tradition of embedding small sacred structures within nature. Rather than appearing as a conventional building, the chapel was conceived as a found object, a quiet presence emerging from the threshold between woodland and open countryside. From some perspectives, it resembles a simple stack of timber logs resting in the landscape; from others, it reveals itself as a sculptural architectural intervention resting on a concrete plinth. Constructed entirely from solid timber in collaboration with Danish wood specialist Dinesen, the project embraces material honesty and simplicity. The architecture is reduced to its essential elements, allowing proportion, texture, light, and atmosphere to become the primary experience. The approach is deliberately choreographed. A narrow path through the forest leads visitors toward a compressed entrance that echoes the density of the surrounding trees. Crossing the threshold reveals a dramatically different spatial condition: an elongated interior rising more than seven meters high, where warm timber surfaces and carefully controlled natural light create an atmosphere of remarkable stillness. Inside, narrow clerestory openings filter daylight gently through the space, while a colored glass cross illuminates the far wall. At the opposite end, a low opening frames a precise view toward the church spire of nearby Unterliezheim, establishing a subtle dialogue between architecture, landscape, and memory. Designed by John Pawson in collaboration with Jan Hobel, Eleni Koryzi, and Max Gleeson, the chapel exemplifies the architect’s enduring exploration of minimalism, proportion, and the emotional power of space. In this film, we experience the Wooden Chapel through a poetic and cinematic architectural journey. Rather than simply documenting the building, the film seeks to capture its atmosphere — the changing qualities of light, the tactile beauty of timber, the silence of the forest, and the gradual unfolding of space. The result is an immersive encounter with architecture that feels less like an object and more like an experience. Subscribe for more in-depth architecture films, modern house tours, and cinematic explorations of groundbreaking design worldwide. Project: Wooden Chapel Architecture: John Pawson, Jan Hobel, Eleni Koryzi, Max Gleeson Film Studio: 9sekunden Director: Patrick Voigt Film by: Juan Benavides Film Curatorship: Architecture Hunter Location: Unterliezheim, Germany Photography: Felix Friedmann Get to know other recent videos: Interviews with the Creators: Studio MK27’s Biribinhas Private Beach House:    • Interviews with the Creators: Studio MK27’...   Gem of Private Brazilian Beaches: Studio MK27's Biribinhas Coastal Masterpiece:    • Gem of Private Brazilian Beaches: Studio M...   Interview: The Vision of Jacobsen Inside a Suspended Beach House in Rio de Janeiro:    • Interview: The Vision of Jacobsen Inside a...   Hunt, Watch & Read: https://architecturehunter.com/ Instagram:   / architecture_hunter  . LinkedIn:   / architecturehunter   TikTok:   / archihunters   Pinterest:   / architecture_hunter   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/31rpvbv... Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://architecturehunter.com/newsle...