Divine Forest Chapel | Rwanda

The Divine Forest Chapel is a canvas for the Rwandan Clarisses and surrounding community to create a masterpiece. The forest that encircles the chapel serves as the inspiration for the architecture. Columns continue past the concrete roof to salute the adjacent trees. The facade composes of a mosaic of spaced acacia wood planks as a tribute to classical religious stained glass mosaics simultaneously casting light and shadow in the interior to mimic a forest floor. The pews, affixed to a gear system become move-able about their axis to create interactive, adjustable space inside, or outside the chapel. The space is then no longer restricted to religious service. The Divine Forest Chapel fosters gathering, congregating, prayer, mourning, charity, and most anything in between.