Architecture

Ribbon Chapel

The Ribbon chapel was built within the Sakaigahama resort hotel area located in Onomichi city, Hiroshima prefecture. Unlike a conventional building with ordinary columns and beams structure, the frame of the structure is designed and constructed out of two square shaped spiralling steel pipe constituting the inner staircase and the outer staircase. The ascending inner spiral structure protruding from the ground level constituting the inner staircase and the descending outer spiral structure connected to the architecture outer wall through the inner pipe constituting the outer staircase is connected with each other on the top, constituting a frame structure for the building. The inner pipe of the inner staircase (spiral structure) is connected to the building outer wall in a specific way that a unique pillar structure is formed, providing a support to the whole structure. The exterior is entirely glazed while the ribbon inspired staircase covers the entire chapel buildings. The concept symbolizes the pathway toward marriage until the bride and the groom are reunited on a sunny day. From the 15m high platform, a scenic and panoramic view of Seto Inland Sea surrounding islands can be seen.

Project Site Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture
Completion Year 2013
Client Tsuneishi Holdings
Design NAP Architectural and Structural Design Service (Arup Group)
Specifications Structure: Steel frame structure
Total Floor Area: 72.2m2
Floors Specification: 1 floor building

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