Reading between the lines
Belgium | Borgloon
2013
Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, a collaboration between young Belgian architects Pieterjan Gijs and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh, have built a see-through church in the Belgian region of Borgloon. The church is 10 meters high and is made of 100 layers and 2000 columns of steel. Depending on the perspective of the viewer, the church is either perceived as a massive building or seems to dissolve - partly or entirely - in the landscape. On the other hand, looking at the landscape within the church, the surrounding countryside is redefined by abstract lines.
The church does not have a well-defined function and focuses on visual experience in itself. At the same time, the construction demonstrates that this experience is in effect a consequence of the design, since it explicitly refers to the various stages in its conception: the design drawing, the model. Apart from that, because the church does not fulfill its classical function, it can be read as a heritage related reflection on the present vacancy of churches in the area.