After the fire that struck the church in the village of Våler, in Norway, a competition is announced for its reconstruction. The new project of a wooden church on four axes, recalls the old cross-shaped church.
In 2009, a fire destroyed the old 19th-century church, a significant loss for the local community. This led to one of the largest Norwegian competitions ever held, which was won by the Espen Surnevik studio. The new church is structured on four axes, north, south, east, and west, reminiscent of the existing cross-shaped church.
The main theme of the new church is that of resurrection, metaphorically rebuilding from the ashes of the fire. The theme is also evident in various design elements, with the help of the artist Espen Dietrichson, especially through the study of the entrance of sunlight. Light is the hope of rebirth that makes its way through the darkness.
The building is clad in solid pine, a natural organic material typical of the local forest landscape, which, over time, becomes darker. Periodically, every 50 years, the facade will undergo treatments to be lightened, symbolizing the resurrection of the church after its fall.
The building features rigid geometric shapes. The towers symbolize the main liturgical spaces, the church hall, and the baptistery, which have a common concrete base. The tallest tower stands at 24 meters, while the other at 12: both facilitate the entry of natural light into the interiors, which are entirely clad in birch plywood, a material also used in other architectural projects.
