Programme

A Church A Common Ground for the Congregation of Nordhavn

Thesis programme Spatial Design Institute for Architecture and Design The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts Tutor: Lise Juel Katrine Brun Knudsen, 5339 2

CONTENT

Prologue 4 Motivation 6 Introduction Scale 8 Detail 9 Strategy Context 10 Procession and Democracy 14 Activities in the State Churches 15 The Churches in Copenhagen 18 Hans Egedes Parish 22 Nordhavn 32 Theology: Mark on Spaces 34 State of the Art Code of Conduct 36 Code of Conduct 37 Social Relevans Process 38 Method 39 Deliverables Appendix 40 Bibliography 42 Interviews 42 Church visits

3

MOTIVATION Hellig Kors Kirken 04.10.17 It is a Wednesday morning. The weather is quite nice outside. I bike through Copenhagen to reach Hellig Kors Kirke at Nørrebro. As I move from Østerbro to Nørrebro the surroundings are changing.

As I reach the church I look up. The tower is tall above me in beautiful bricks in red, black and yellow colors. The church is open and I step through the heavy wooden door. I look up again. The ceiling is high.

It is a calm space and nearly noiseless when I am alone in the nave. The space is big and quite dark. It exposes me. I feel exalted and I feel the piousness of the space. It is almost overly detailed. The eye catches so many things and doesn’t stop to notice new details of colors, lights, shadows, ornaments, tectonics, materials. All of these details tell of a different time. The history and the tectonics are overwhelming. Any sound I make is scaled up by the echo and makes me aware of my own movement and presence.

Nørrebro is filled with kids and noises outside, that I don’t notice. I sit down to reflect upon the feelings inside me and the use of the church today.

I wonder if those feelings can be awakened in a new building and what the church can and should contribute within the modern society and how architecture could support the church in being an asset for the society and not a source for political conflict.

4 Prologue

Inside Hellig Kors Kirke

Prologue 5

Levantkaj in Nordhavn

6 Prologue

INTRODUCTION This programme is representing my initial ideas for a new Lutheran Protestant church in Nordhavn.

The Lutheran Protestant church is the State Church of Denmark.

I see the church as an asset for the society in general with its initiatives on social work, spirituality, and cultural events.

The programme suggests a democratic church that makes use of its historical, anthropological and tectonic context. When I suggest a democratic church, it is a church concerned with the fellowship of its congregation. It should be flexible to accommodate the different activities of the church.

Matter A church for a new and developing congregation in Nordhavn.

Vision A Lutheran Protestant church, open to everyone and for the congregation to unfold. It is a common ground for the new congregation in Nordhavn. An open space to find fellowship and intimacy at the same time. The programme aims to lay the ground for a folk church in Nordhavn where the church is used as an asset to create an interesting, folksy and popular part of the city.

Problem How can architecture contribute to a church to be an asset for a whole congregation without losing its value as a Lutheran Protestant church?

Prologue 7

DETAIL The Danish National Church goes by the name “Folkekirken”. Literally translated this means “the folk church”, but this is not a complete translation of the meaning behind the word. Folkekirken is a Lutheran Protestant church. Protestantism and the church has influenced the history and traditions in Denmark greatly and it is still a State Church in Denmark.

A new congregation of “Folkekirken” is about to rise in Nordhavnen (an area of Copenhagen) and there will be people (folk) to inhabit and make use of a new church.

The detail of this project is a church, that helps to inform how a building can take part in representing the strategy I lay out in the following. The church should consist of different building elements to make sure it helps the strategy, but the main focus will be on the architectural design of the nave of the church and how it relates to the rest of the building and Nordhavn. The nave should be a place for preaching and services as well as many of the other activities the church is concerned with; to gather the new communities of Nordhavn.

The church should be an asset for the whole congregation - the religious, the atheists and the ones who find themselves somewhere in between.

The building is to be informed by history and anthropology of the context. The context including the site, theology and existing Copenhagen churches.

I will work in different scales in order to get close to both atmospheres and usefulness. The nave will be drawn in 1:50 to get a detailed impression of the space. I will draw it with seating, baptistery and alter. Besides the nave, the church should include facilities for preparing food and eating, for organizational work, choir practice, spaces for groups, for dialogue, unprogrammed space to unfold new initiatives and Events; that cannot take place in the nave. There should be offices and restrooms etc. for the daily work to function.

The plans by By & Havn for Levantkaj reveals that the planned church should be around 3500m2.

After talking to Henrik Bundgaard Nielsen, secretary general of Kirkefondet I realized, that the church might not need all these square meters to function or to create the atmosphere wanted in a church. Of course, many people are moving to Nordhavn and Hans Egede Sogn, but if three churches were built of 1000-1500 sqm people would have more options to find the church suited for them.

One church at the time, to see and analyze the need. With the secularization, one church of 1500 sqm might be enough, if it is flexible and able to include many different activities and kinds of people.

8 Scale

STRATEGY Today the church is a political matter. Being religious is in some circles a taboo. Religion in Denmark is a sensitive subject and many are of the opinion that religion causes conflict. I agree that sometimes it does. As religion causes conflict, it should also take part in solving it, the bishop Peter Fischer-Møller states. I agree. Many people are still religious in modern Denmark, even though the statistics tell us that the number of members of the National Church is decreasing due to the secularization. We know that many people are not religious, even though they are members. We know that both members and non-members use the church once in while (when attending weddings etc.).

Visiting the church you can find many people actively using it as a place to come together; not necessarily around preaching.

The church is also still a big part of traditions in Denmark when we transfer from one stage of life into another, eg. weddings and funerals.

This project aims for the church to be an asset for the community. A place where people can come together to develop projects or personally. For the religious and non-religious. This without the church becoming only a cultural center. It is still a church and represents traditions and spirituality.

The nave should recall the feeling of piousness or exaltation people feel in the church and it should work actively with atmospheres.

The strategy is to help the Danish National Church to step into the future as an asset for the local congregation, without losing its origin as a place of worship.

At the same time, the church should represent an idea of how the master plan could be continuously worked with and developed for Nordhavn to be a great new area of Copenhagen.

Scale 9

PROCESSION AND DEMOCRACY In Denmark, there are different kinds of churches: the basilica, the round church, the y-church etc. I have chosen to divide them in two overall categories. The ”procession church” and the ”democratic church”. Both have been a part of the history of church building, but the procession church is more common. An example of a procession church could be Hellig Kors Kirke. Hellig Kors Kirke is a cruciform church, where the seated auditory are far away from the altar. The walk from the entering of the church to the altar is long and it is, therefore, a church often chosen for processions of weddings.

This kind of church is related to the traditions of the church. The organ will often be placed behind the seated, where the choir will also be located. The pulpit and the alter is often above the congregation (closer to God) as you also find it in Hellig Kors Kirke.

The other kind of church is the “democratic church” can be examplified by Præstebo Kirke. Præstebo Kirke is a church by Exner. People are sitting “around” the altar and the organ are in front instead of at the back. Præstebo Kirke has a pulpit, but it is not as promoted as in many of the older churches. It is just a few steps up in a small wooden construction and it has the same expression as the choir.

The Procession Church 10 Context

The Democratic Church

Often the preacher will be in level with the auditory in a democratic church. There are no steps up to the altar. Everyone is equal. Often the alter will be in the middle or in a corner of the nave, and the auditory will be closer to the ceremonies done by the priest etc.

There are examples of churches being transformed into democratic churches, by removing the pulpit or other fixtures, for the room to be more flexible. This is seen in Brorsons Kirke and Ukirke. These churches are far from the traditional thought of a church in terms of use, but attract many visitors for events like “Tyg og Tænk” (“Chew & Think”) and “Bøn og Brunch” (“Prayer & Brunch”) where the fellowship and democracy of the church are in focus. Both of these transformed churches have a focus on young people in the church. This focus and approach are worth considering when bringing the church into a modern and future context.

The aim of this architectural project is to make a democratic church. The procession church is often chosen for weddings etc., which is also necessary for a church to accommodate. The traditions of the church should not be undermined when making a democratic church, and it should still be experienced as a church both on the inside and the outside.

UKirke

Photo by Sille Arendt (folkekirken.dk)

Context 11

PrĂŚstebo Kirke

12 Context

Initial Sketches for a Democratic Church Context 13

ACTIVITIES IN THE STATE CHURCHES Visiting different activities and events in the churches shows how much the church is about fellowship. Of course, there should be room for reflection and grief alone in a quiet place; but what makes most people join the church is the fellowship you find in the institution; whether it is coming together about knitting, baby rhythmics or the preaching followed by a cup of coffee. The church is about being together about religion and spirituality. Therefore the subtitle of this programme is �A Common Ground for the Congregation of Nordhavn�. The congregation should take part in deciding how the spaces should be used, but there should be several spaces for living out different concepts that bring people together. The diagram shows how many of the church activities are carried out for the public, where everyone is welcome and some of them does not concern Christianity. Other activities are for more people as well but is for organized groups, where you need an invite to participate. A few activities are for one or two people at the time. These more private activities like grief should have room in the church, but it should be concerned with the fellowship above all. Religion is also a private matter, but have the possibility to help the congregation as a whole.

14 Context

THE CHURCHES IN COPENHAGEN Denmark is divided into 10 dioceses. The churches in Copenhagen has their own diocese (Københavns Stift) with 106 churches. The diocese again is divided into deanerys and then again in parishes.

The Copenhagen Diocese has some common initiatives, the ambition of the deanerys varies. Most of the work that is experienced by the congregation is usually within the parishes and churches.

A few years ago churches were closed down, as the number of members of the church was decreasing and fewer members are coming in the churches regularly due to the secularization. Yet new churches are planned in Sydhavn, Nordhavn and Ørestad as these areas are growing fast and many people are moving there.

The Copenhagen churches are getting richer, even though the members are fewer in number, as the people moving to the new areas of Copenhagen often are well-off. The funds of the church are coming from church taxes paid by the citizens of Copenhagen, but also from the state; therefore the church should be for the many and include the whole possible congregation. The map on the following pages shows the Copenhagen churches (excluding a few churches on Amager). It shows that ”broområderne” (literally translated: bridge areas) generally has many churches. This is due to the many people moving to Copenhagen in the beginning of the 20th century and expanding the city. Many of these are a part of ”brokirkerne” (bridge churches) from this period. Kirkefondet was established to build these churches and still today this institution helps to develop churches and congregations.

Nordhavn will expand with around 40.000 people; many of them being members of the church. The aim is to make a church for this new population and congregation. Nordhavn is today a part of the Parish of Hans Egede. As seen on the map on the following page, there is no church in the area and Hans Egede Kirke is the only church in the parish. This creates a need for new church.

Context 15

The Churches of Copenhagen with an Outline of the Parish 16 Context

Context 17

HANS EGEDES PARISH Hans Egedes parish now has one church, ”Hans Egedes Kirke”. This is a regular Copenhagen ”bridge church” from 1930. It is done in red bricks on the outside and on the inside it is whitewashed with 240 seats. A relatively small church.

Hans Egede Sogn is part of Holmen og Østerbros provsti (the deanery). The deanery has 17 churches, some of which are among the most famous in Copenhagen eg. Holmens Kirke & Frederiks Kirken. These churches are popular for weddings and I see no reason to compete on this parameter.

The new church of Nordhavn should provide something else for the deanery and especially the growing parish. It should compete by bringing something new to the table and provide a fellowship and possibility for organizational and social work.

Around 9200 lives in the parish of which 6800 are members of the church roughly translated to 74% which is more than the general statistics of Copenhagen. Looking at the demography of Nordhavn and Hans Egede parish, people moving there are well off and many of them are moving from Jutland, which makes them more likely to be members of the church. The parish is about to grow with more than 400% making Hans Egede church too small and with too few activities and possibilities.

The new church is to be situated on Levantkaj, according to the plans from By&Havn. By&Havn is a partnership in charge of the development of Nordhavn and in January the winner of an architectural competition for the master plan of Levantkaj was revealed. Team Entasis won with a plan that has a baseline in the existing terminal and containers to make a structure for housing, industry and public institutions. They have chosen to place the church at the entry of the new area and make a channel in front of it. I have chosen to work with this placement of the church, as it is suggested to be right next to the new metro and the metro square, which can draw parallels to how churches have been placed since the ancient Rome; by the square and as a part of the square. Also, the church is connected to the water and you can arrive by boat and use the water actively in the architecture.

At this site, the church will not have a back nor a front. It should open up to people coming from the metro, but also act as an entrance to the area, coming from the road, by bike, car or on foot.

18 Context

Inside Hans Egede Church

Context 19

Hans Egedes Parish and the Site 20 Context

Context 21

NORDHAVN Nordhavn is already undergoing great development. Århusgadekvarteret and Redmolen should be ”finished” in 2020. The new inhabitants reveal about the demography that will most likely be close to what we can expect to find at Levantkaj. Århusgadekvarteret has a lot of new architecture. But some of the older buildings are still there. The tallest buildings are transformed silos and these are part of underlining the history of the place. This way of making city planning and development will have to be reconsidered at Levantkaj.

Levantkaj is a container harbor today. Everything besides the international school is to be removed, and Copenhagen will have an area consisting of only new buildings. This can potentially be hard to form and plan for the atmosphere of the old harbor not to be completely lost.

The church is to be situated by the water, where the containerships are docking today. The church should make use of the water and draw references to the history of the Levantkaj so that the hard work that has been going on for years is not forgotten as the terminal is removed.

The site has no surrounding buildings. The closest buildings are on the other side of the port inlet and the international school behind it, when the terminal is removed. This underlines the importance of the church appearance from the outside as it should be a point of reference, both when coming from the water side but also in a broader sense as a an example on how to build and plan the new area.

This also draws lines back to how villages and congregations were established in a historic Denmark, where churches were built first and often very visible (eg. at a hill).

The already existing Aarhusgadekvarter and Orientkaj has rocket high prices on much of the housing, especially the apartments placed high above the water and right next to the dock. There are also some social housing, which will also be found on Levantkaj as there are regulations on the matter.

By og Havn were aiming for 20% social housing and hoping for dorms, collective housing, and other alternative housing as well. The affluent people will have a view of most of the city of Copenhagen and to the church towers. For them to choose the new Copenhagen church it will have to establish some traditions, but it also have to be somewhat spectacular. The church should be aimed at people from different social classes and for generations to meet, but not undermine that the area is quiet expensive and posh, compared to its history.

22 Context

The New Area of Nordhavn in Aarhusgade Kvarteret

Context 23

Churches seen Towards the South from LĂźders Konditag in Aarhusgade Kvarteret

24 Context

Context 25

Nordhavn with Levantkaj as Site for a New Church

26 Context

Context 27

Levantkaj seen from Oceankaj

28 Context

Context 29

Levantkaj today

30 Context

Levantkaj today

Context 31

THEOLOGY: MARK ON SPACES Looking at the theology of Protestantism the church is not holy in itself. The acts performed in a Lutheran Protestant church are. This means that if you have a place to speak, to listen and an altar (being a simple table or a hood of a car), you have a church. The gospel of Mark is the gospel, that provides us with the most information about the value of spaces and non-spaces. It describes how Jesus makes his healings and preachings outside the temple and even in peoples homes.

This means, that the church in Nordhavn, potentially could be a drawn circle with a fixed table. Then the priest could bring a bowl for the baptisms.

Talking to priests, members of the congregation, users of the church - this will not be sufficient, as today's church is used for much more than holy acts; and the holy acts are not just holy, they are also traditions. And the physical frame for these traditions is very important when people choose which church to use.

Theology can be used for the architecture as well. The water has great value in the Gospel of Mark and it often symbolizes transition. This is also why the water is a part of the baptism and why it makes sense to make use of the water in Nordhavn to stimulate the senses and create the right atmosphere in the church.

32 Context

The View from Levantkaj

Context 33

STATE OF THE ART My thinking of the project draws parallels to how Exner thought about their churches, both on the matter of democracy in a church, but also how they have worked with atmospheres.

Reading the thesis of Line Marscher, I came to realize how well Exner has worked with the atmosphere in their churches and how it leads to specific feelings and thoughtfulness. Marschner relies on Gernot Böhme. Böhme is a philosopher working with ”atmospheres”. Atmospheres that are well-known to many of us, but can be hard to describe and put to form - like the atmospheres of a church, that many people would recognize as something exalted and existential. According to Böhme atmosphere can be worked with on a practical basis and I believe this is what Exner has been doing well in may of their 13 churches; as I feel the exaltation or thoughtfulness related to a church when I enter eg. Præstebo Kirke.

The churches are raw and without religious imagery, but the details of light are important for the atmosphere. As well is the silence, that is created by contrasts to the noise outside.

This project aims for this atmosphere to be recognized, without the use of religious imagery like Jesus on the cross, as everyone should feel welcome. The church should be inviting and open for all.

Another example of how an atmosphere is created could be the art and architecture of James Turell and his work with light. He works with colors and light to give a certain atmosphere, that could inspire a way of working with light in the new church of Nordhavn. Colors are often seen in church paintings and glasses in the windows and this is worth exploring.

I will work with water in relation to the atmosphere of the church. We know how watching the ocean has a specific atmosphere, that has parallels to the atmosphere of a church. I believe water can affect different senses, which is worth looking into when working with the atmosphere of the church, as Böhme also suggests. I will investigate how water can be used in the design of the church, as water is an essence of Levantkaj in a historical sense and in the future.

34 State of the Art

Penumbra by James Turell

Photo by Turell (jamesturell.com)

State of the Art 35

CODE OF CONDUCT I am interested in making a Danish National Church, as I find religion and spirituality to be of great interest and at the same time, I believe the church could involve and give more back to the society, as it is a strong institution with many assets. It is interesting how religion and the church affectsthe society and at the same time effects the individual. There is a taboo concerning religion, as it is partaking in many conflicts worldwide. In Copenhagen, it can be considered strange to believe in God and not many people talk much about religion and existentialism. I am not religious myself, but I know that God exists to help others. Maybe you can say that I believe in him; even though he does not help me nor do I believe in afterlife or Jesus as His son myself. This does not take away the feeling of exaltation when I am in a church or a mosque (the Gods are in a broad sense the same to me). At times I can get the same feeling when I find myself in the middle of a forest or sitting by a river.

Peoples feelings towards the church are very different and some despise the church. The positive feeling I have of respect towards the church makes other people discomforted. The Danish National Church is also a political matter, which is worth considering when making investigations, for the church to contribute positively to society.

Therefore, as a practitioner, I aim to be respectful, considerate and playful.

36 Code of Conduct

SOCIAL RELEVANS The architectural project is neither for or against the church as part of the state. It is not to be seen as a commercial for the Danish National Church. The project aims to work towards a church as an asset for everyone. A house of traditions and fellowship; that helps the neighbors. I believe the church can and should take part in developing a sustainable future. I have chosen to focus on two of the UN goals being 3 and 16.

The third UN goal is “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”.

I believe the church can and is helping towards this goal. Spirituality can help many people towards well-being. Here it is important to understand that the church can help mental well-being, not only by supporting people with grief etc., but also assist for people to come together in joy. The church is for all ages and everyone is welcome.

The 16th goal is “Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies”. This is exactly what the church should do. It should not sell out its values, but it should most definitely be welcoming towards everyone and support societies as a strong democratic institution.

As the church does social work in many parts of the world, more of the goals could be included for the church as a national institution, but the church in Nordhavn mainly supports the selected goals.

The congregation should then in the future decide what other goals it can and should support.

Code of Conduct 37

METHOD The aim is to make a flexible church that can accommodate new forms of activities as well as include the old traditions. The project should consider history, anthropology, and tectonics in order to create the right atmosphere and possibilities.

I am aware that I will gain further knowledge on all matters and that my views on some things might change in the process and that other things will be clarified. I have divided the process into three phases.

Phase I: Finding and Archiving The method to follow my detail and strategy is to start by further mapping the churches in Denmark and Copenhagen, by observations, interviews, and sketches. I will work in different temporalities and map the transition of the site and the new possible congregation.

Phase II: Exploring The analysis and knowledge gained in phase one will be translated into sketches in the search to find the form of the project. It is my intention to work in different media and scales to get close to the architecture from the flow outside of the building to the atmospheres created inside. Different ideas on form, tectonics, and materiality will be produced.

Phase III: Proposal From the results and knowledge found in the second phase, I will generate the architectural proposal for a new Lutheran Protestant church in Nordhavn. I will represent the detail and strategy in different scales.

38 Process

DELIVERABLES Provisional list of submission materials.

Strategy Site model 1:1000 Site plan 1:200 Plan 1:100 Elevations 1:200 Sections 1:200 Detail Model 1:100 Section 1:50 Plan segment 1:50 Visualizations Process Catalogue of sketches in drawing and model Catalogue of an analysis of the Church today Catalogue of Nordhavn in pictures and sketches Project report

Process 39

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books Exner, A. M., Hansen, A.L., Kamp, O., Nielsen, H. B. (2016) Landsbykirken som et aktiv - idékatalog.

Kirkefondet.

Friedrich K. (1995). Kathedrale Unserer Zeit, Verlag Anton Pustet.

Hallbäck, G. (2002). Om Markus: analyser og fortolkninger. Anis.

Harbsmeier, E. & Iversen, H. R. (1995), Praktisk teologi, Anis.

Kristensen, P. T. (2001). Proces 17: Arkitektur som Fragment. KADK. Marschner, L.(2017): Thesis: Kirkearkitektur som Erkendelsesvej, AU. Motzfeldt, D. T. (2010) Religion: teori, fenomænologi, metode, Systime.

Pallasmaa, J. (2005). The Eyes of the Skin, Wiley Academy.

Svenningesen, R. H. (2013). A Brief Guide: The Evangelical Lutheran Church. Aros forlag og Folkekirkens Mellemfolkelige Råd.

Magazines Arkitekten: Nu i Nordhavn, December 2017, vol 119.

Articles Kjeldtoft, S. S. (2016). ’København bliver en by for de rige – sådan er det bare’. Information.

Kjeldtoft, S.S. (2016). ’Jeg har svært ved at pege på én vellykket ny bydel i København’. Information.

Nielsen, J.K. (2017). Phenomenological Thinking in The Design of Luminaires, AAU. Rasmussen, J.M (2017). Fremtiden Bliver Spirituel, Amen vol 7.

Latning, B (2016). Kirken kan bidrage til FNs verdensmål, udfordringen.dk/2016/06/kirken-kan-bidrage-fns-verdensmaal/

40 Appendix

Web www.byoghavn.dk www.kirkearkitektur.dk www.kirkenikbh.dk www.nordhavnen.dk www.sogn.dk www.un.dk

Appendix 41

INTERVIEWS Brandt, Ane Kirstine (Theologian, writer and consultant at Folkekirke og Religionsmøde) Christensen, Jens Andreas (Priest at Hellig Kors Kirke) Nielsen, Henrik Bundgaard (Secretary general for Kirkefondet) Nielsen, Jonas Krogsbøll (Lighting designer & critic of the State Church) Sandborg-Olsen, Maria (theologian, coordinater for the Christian Refugee Network and Kirke på Vej) Windelin, Daniel Falster (student and user of the church)

CHURCH VISITS Attendance at services since my first visit in Hellig Kors Kirke Hellig Kors Kirke (service with baptism 08.10.2017) Davidskirken (regular Sunday service 29.10.2017) Brønshøj Kirke (Service of ”Allehelgene” 29.11.2017) Hersted-Øster kirke (Christmas service 24.12.2017) Esajas Kirke (Kyndelmisse 01.02.2018) Præstebo kirke (regular Sunday service 11.02.2018)

42 Appendix

Esajas Kirke at Kyndelmisse 01.01.2017

Appendix 43