church St. Etienne in Attert (Belgium)

The tender envisaged a direct incorporation of the Attert River into the design. The window design is oriented to the dynamic movement of water. From the entrance, the water flows into the space and then swirls around the pillars in front of the choir area. In the choir itself one submerges into the water. The details of the whirlpools and the water increase toward the choir. Thus, in the windows at the entrance you can see the water surface with gentle wave motion, and in the choir oxygen bubbles rise, finding their way upward through the light. The central significance of the choir is carried both by the fidelity of the water’s details and by the full view of the windows themselves.

In the former nave, the windows are interrupted by horizontal frame lines. These lines echo the direction of the middle and side pillars inside the space and also direct the gaze toward the ribbed vault. On the exterior, the frame lines reinforce the clear architecture of église St-Etienne in the landscape. They also enable an influence on the room climate in their functionality, by allowing parts of the window sashes to be opened.

The windows are designed as double-glazed windows. On the outside, the panes are thermally deformed, creating gentle waves. These waves in the glass reflect the movement of the river. The reflection of light is refracted similarly to the viewing of the water surface, making the windows from the outside also a captivating visual attraction for the observer. The room therefore begins to flow not only from the inside but also from the outside.