Futuna Chapel
Encyclopedia
Futuna Chapel is a building in the suburb of Karori
, Wellington
designed by the architect John Scott
.
Built by the brothers of the Society of Mary, the chapel is named after the Pacific Island of Futuna
on which the missionary Peter Chanel
, to whom the project is dedicated, was martyred in 1841. It was awarded the New Zealand Institute of Architects gold medal in 1968 and its 25-year Award in 1986. The Historic Places Trust has placed it on its register as a Category 1 Historic Site.
. The steeply pitched roof forms also allude to the entry porch of the wharenui, with its prominent sweeping barge boards.
The influence of Le Corbusier
may be discerned in the rough plastered concrete work, exposed concrete beams and the way the interior is dramatized by light brought into the building by high windows. Precedents may be seen at both Ronchamp
and Sainte Marie de La Tourette
. Care is taken to clearly express the junctions of different materials by negative detailing and the projection of beams past their point of support. The use of diagonal symmetry, gridded planning and modular dimensions all relate the building to both high modernism and classical architecture.
The roof structure is exposed within the building, and the means of support are made explicit in the gothic tradition of a battle against gravity. The extensive use of timber for the roof, with exposed sarking, struts and rafters is typical of architect designed New Zealand houses of the 60's and 70's that delight in the virtuostic display of carpentry work.
A book about the building called ‘Voices of Silence (New Zealand’s Chapel of Futuna)' was published by Victoria University Press 1987. The author was Russell Walden, then a Reader in the History of Architecture at Victoria University in Wellington. In the book, Walden sets out his thesis that the building represents a blending of Māori and European architectural concepts. On one hand it is a modernist building that uses geometrical forms and influences of the Modern Movement. It also represents aspects of a Marae
, such as a large centre pole and sharply sloping eaves
. Walden claimed John Scott achieved a fusion of elements of architecture not seen before.
Concern about the building's future came from many quarters, leading to the formation of the Friends of Futuna Charitable Trust spearheaded by Simon Mclellan. After lengthy negotiations, an agreement was reached in 2006 between the Friends of Futuna Charitable Trust and Futuna Ltd for the sale of the Chapel and the parcel of land that it sits on to the Trust. A conservation plan is being developed by the Trust to carry out repairs and reburbishments so that the building can be appreciated as originally designed. An accessible toilet was recently added to the building to enable a wider range of events to be hosted. Efforts are also being made to locate the missing Crucifixion sculpture with the hope of returning it to its rightful home.
Karori
Karori is a suburb located at the western edge of the urban area of Wellington, New Zealand, some 4 km from the city centre.Karori is significantly larger than most other Wellington suburbs, having a population of over 14,000 at the time of the 2006 census.-History:Before the arrival of...
, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
designed by the architect John Scott
John Scott (architect)
John Colin Scott was a New Zealand architect of the 20th century, known for his unique buildings that incorporated ideas from Maori and cultural architecture.-Early life:...
.
Built by the brothers of the Society of Mary, the chapel is named after the Pacific Island of Futuna
Futuna Island, Wallis and Futuna
Futuna is an island in the Pacific Ocean belonging to the French overseas collectivity of Wallis and Futuna. It is one of the Hoorn Islands or Îles Horne, nearby Alofi being the other...
on which the missionary Peter Chanel
Peter Chanel
Pierre Louis Marie Chanel, known in English as Saint Peter Chanel was a Catholic priest, missionary, and martyr.-Early years:Chanel was born in La Potière near Cuet in the area of Belley, Ain département, France....
, to whom the project is dedicated, was martyred in 1841. It was awarded the New Zealand Institute of Architects gold medal in 1968 and its 25-year Award in 1986. The Historic Places Trust has placed it on its register as a Category 1 Historic Site.
History
The Society of Mary's Karori Centre was formed in 1948 by converting an Edwardian villa previously owned by Sidney Kirkcaldie of Kirkcaldie & Stains Ltd. In 1958 Hawke's Bay architect John Scott was approached to design the Futuna Retreat Chapel. The Chapel was built in 1961 by the brothers themselves, with the only sub-contractor being an electrician.Siting
The building was originally located on a property at 62-66 Friend Street, Karori, Wellington. Set back from the street, the building is entered from the north-west corner. The Chapel was then situated between three existing buildings, an administration block and two accommodation blocks.Construction
Floors are of concrete slab construction and paved with flagstones internally. The walls are a combination of in-situ concrete and concrete block. Walls have a rough plaster finish both inside and out, and concrete block walls are left exposed. The roof is of timber framed construction and was originally clad with asbestos shingles. The main roof is supported by a central timber post and braced with timber struts. The ceiling features exposed rafters and timber sarking. The triangular clerestory windows are formed of gridded clear and coloured perspex. The pews are formed by concrete supports and timber benches.Significance
In Futuna Chapel, John Scott employed a composite language that references a number of different architectural traditions. The tree-like central timber post can be seen as an interpretation of the centre posts of the traditional Maori meeting house or wharenuiWharenui
A wharenui is a communal house of the Māori people of New Zealand, generally situated as the focal point of a marae. Wharenui are usually called 'meeting houses' in New Zealand English.-Wharenui:...
. The steeply pitched roof forms also allude to the entry porch of the wharenui, with its prominent sweeping barge boards.
The influence of Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
may be discerned in the rough plastered concrete work, exposed concrete beams and the way the interior is dramatized by light brought into the building by high windows. Precedents may be seen at both Ronchamp
Ronchamp
Ronchamp is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.It is located between the Vosges and the Jura mountains.-Notre Dame du Haut:...
and Sainte Marie de La Tourette
Sainte Marie de La Tourette
Sainte Marie de La Tourette is a Dominican Order priory in a valley near Lyon, France designed by architects Le Corbusier and Iannis Xenakis and constructed between 1956 and 1960. Le Corbusier's design of the building began in May, 1953 with sketches drawn at Arbresle, France outlining the basic...
. Care is taken to clearly express the junctions of different materials by negative detailing and the projection of beams past their point of support. The use of diagonal symmetry, gridded planning and modular dimensions all relate the building to both high modernism and classical architecture.
The roof structure is exposed within the building, and the means of support are made explicit in the gothic tradition of a battle against gravity. The extensive use of timber for the roof, with exposed sarking, struts and rafters is typical of architect designed New Zealand houses of the 60's and 70's that delight in the virtuostic display of carpentry work.
A book about the building called ‘Voices of Silence (New Zealand’s Chapel of Futuna)' was published by Victoria University Press 1987. The author was Russell Walden, then a Reader in the History of Architecture at Victoria University in Wellington. In the book, Walden sets out his thesis that the building represents a blending of Māori and European architectural concepts. On one hand it is a modernist building that uses geometrical forms and influences of the Modern Movement. It also represents aspects of a Marae
Marae
A marae malae , malae , is a communal or sacred place which serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies...
, such as a large centre pole and sharply sloping eaves
Eaves
The eaves of a roof are its lower edges. They usually project beyond the walls of the building to carry rain water away.-Etymology:"Eaves" is derived from Old English and is both the singular and plural form of the word.- Function :...
. Walden claimed John Scott achieved a fusion of elements of architecture not seen before.
Current condition
In 2000, the Society of Mary had no further use for the Futuna Retreat and sold it to the property developer Art Potter. Subsequently, the buildings surrounding the chapel were removed and replaced with medium density housing units designed by Hunt Davies Tennent Ltd. The chapel itself was protected from demolition by the Wellington District Plan. While the 66 residential properties now forming Futuna Village were being built, the chapel was used to store materials. While tarnished, most of the fixtures and fittings remain in good condition, but Jim Allen's centrepiece wooden sculpture of the Crucifixion has disappeared.Concern about the building's future came from many quarters, leading to the formation of the Friends of Futuna Charitable Trust spearheaded by Simon Mclellan. After lengthy negotiations, an agreement was reached in 2006 between the Friends of Futuna Charitable Trust and Futuna Ltd for the sale of the Chapel and the parcel of land that it sits on to the Trust. A conservation plan is being developed by the Trust to carry out repairs and reburbishments so that the building can be appreciated as originally designed. An accessible toilet was recently added to the building to enable a wider range of events to be hosted. Efforts are also being made to locate the missing Crucifixion sculpture with the hope of returning it to its rightful home.