☉ Våler Church is a proposal by Studio BÄNG for Våler Parish Council designed in 2011. It is located in Våler Norway in a cemetery setting. Its scale is small. Key material is wood. Concepts such as plinth monolith and zenithal light are explored. Review the 3 proposals for the same competition.
On 29th May 2009, the historical church in Våler, Norway, was completely destroyed by a fire. The sun rose at 52.20° that day. This fact set the main concept for the Ny Våler Kirke, to create a perceivable tribute to the old wooden church. A single storey high building part including all supplying rooms surrounds the religious hall protectively. The hall is twisted to 52.20°. Because of that, the chorus points exactly at the sunrise on 29th May as a sign of new beginning. Except the natural-light ceiling, the main construction is made of wooden beams clad with thin wooden sticks. Those create an upward focus and transport light into the holy space.