tomorrow ronchamps

PRESS RELEASES

"RONCHAMP TOMORROW" project

News developments: Nunnery, the Gatehouse and the environment

by Renzo Piano, Michel Corajoud and partners

Open house 8th September – 11th September organized by

The Association 'Œuvre Notre-Dame du Haut’ (AONDH) and The Association 'The Friends

of St Colette' (AASC)

AONDH – Chapelle Notre-Dame du Haut 70250 RONCHAMP – AASC 6 rue du Chapitre 25000 BESANÇON

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2 DP/ AONDH – AASC Ronchamp, du 8 au 11 septembre 2011

Summary

THE CHAPEL AT RONCHAMP 3

“RONCHAMP TOMORROW” PROJECT 4

FUNDING 5

RENZO PIANO BUILDING WORKSHOP 6

THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT MICHEL CORAJOUD 9

PARTNERS AND COMPANIES 10

THE OWNER OF THE SITE: AONDH (A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION) 11

THE ASSOCIATION "THE FRIENDS OF ST COLETTE" (AASC) 12

THE COMMUNITY OF POOR CLARES 12

OPEN HOUSE 13

YOUR VISIT AND OTHER SERVICES 15

CAPTIONS AVAILABLE 16


The Chapel at Ronchamp

The Chapel of Notre-Dame du Haut (Our Lady of the Height) overlooks the small town of Ronchamp from the hill of Bourlémont. It was built by one of the twentieth century’s most famous architects, Le Corbusier.

Marian pilgrimage place centuries, it opens to the four horizons as a space 'of silence, of prayer, of peace; of inward joy' in the words of the architect Le Corbusier.

Site history

Since the middle ages, the 8th of September, day of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the Chapel welcomes pilgrims ; the chapel belonged to the Church as property of the parish of Ronchamp. During the French Revolution in 1789 it was sold as a property of the state to a merchant.

A few years later, about forty families and Ronchamp‟s priest decided to buy the edifice back in order to restore it to its initial function: a chapel dedicated to the cult of the Virgin Mary, and also a pilgrimage site to which the local people were still very attached.

Thus, an almost unique and exceptional, the Chapel became private property, although of all of these families. Today, the heirs form the Association based on the law 1901, with regard to ownership of the site, the buildings and the image of the Chapel, in accordance with Le Corbusier’s written will.

The construction of Le Corbusier

During the liberation of Ronchamp in October 1944, the edifice was partially destroyed by artillery. The Besançon-based Diocesian Commission for Sacred Art („Commission diocésaine d‟Art Sacré‟ – „CDAS‟) it proposes to Le Corbusier’s reconstruction; Le Corbusier hesitate then affected by the site (its landscape, its human history and the fervor of its inhabitants) it undertakes to rebuild a building with the stones of the old chapel and a cloak of white-washed reinforced-concrete. “Notre-Dame du Haut” out of the ground in 1955.

To summarize

Architect: LE CORBUSIER [byname] Charles-Edouard JEANNERET (1887- 1965)

Place: Ronchamp (Haute-Saône)

Site: on the Bourlémont hill: chapel Notre-Dame du Haut, the pilgrims‟ shelter, the chaplain‟s house and the monument for peace

Cultural significance: one of the great sites of contemporary sacred architecture

Construction dates: 1953-1955

Details of note: private chapel, property of the not-for-profit organization AONDH; pilgrimage chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary (August 15 and September 8)

Associated architect: Jean Prouvé (1901-1984) for the campanile (1975)

Number of visitors: around 80,000 a year on average

Origin of the majority of visitors/number: France, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Belgium, Spain, Czech Republic, United States


“Ronchamp Tomorrow” project

Launched at the fiftieth anniversary of the Chapel in 2005, a refection on the future of

the site has identified the need to support more visitors to the site.

Silence, peace found again and getting back to nature are at the heart of the “Ronchamp Tomorrow” project. Three complementary construction sites have been launched with the Renzo Piano Building Workshop together with the landscape designer Michel Corajoud, to allow visitors to the chapel of Notre-Dame du Haut, both pilgrims and lovers of architecture, to find on the site the serenity they need to take in to the fullest the work of Le Corbusier.

The Chapel’s Gatehouse

As a replacement to the current reception building: Renzo Piano will build a new Gatehouse for visitors that is more balanced, spacious, open to culture, architecture and the sacred. It will also be the new headquarters of AONDH.

The convent for the Community of Poor Clares

This will consist of small living and work units for a community of a dozen international Poor Clares on the backside of the site; an oratory, and a place to stay, a spiritual retreat, will be open to all. Renzo Piano will bring the ensemble to life in a discrete way.

The landscape

The hill has been taken care of for more than 50 years but the trees today need to be treated, some replanted; the landscape architect Michel Corajoud plans replanting, remodelling some of the landscape spaces and a landscaped parking area, employing the standards of sustainable development and in the respect the environment.

To summarize

Contracting owner/project sponsor: AONDH and the Association des Amis de Sainte-Colette (AASC) (Organization of Friends of Sainte-Colette, the not-for-profit organization of the Poor Clares)

Project management: Renzo Piano Building Workshop and the landscape architect Michel Corajoud

Site: on the sides of the Bourlément hill: chapel‟s Gatehouse, convent for the Community of the Poor Clares, landscaped parking

Issues at stake: spiritual, architectural, touristic and environmental

Construction dates: 2008-2011

Partners: the Franciscan community the „Trois compagnons‟, the „Fonds national d’aménagement et de développement du territoire‟, „Franche-Comté Evasion”, „Parc régional des Ballons des Vosges‟, the Association „The Friends of Le Corbusier”

Financed by: the „Communauté de Commune Rahin-Chérimont‟, the „Conseil général de la Haute-Saône‟, the „ Conseil régional de Franche-Comté‟, the „Fonds européen de développement régional‟, the Diocese of Besançon‟s, the Diocese of Fribourg-in-Brisgau‟s, Funders and donors to the Foundation of Monasteries, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the donors to the Chapel at Ronchamp

Financed by: donations, own resources, patronage and loans

Budget: chapel‟s Gatehouse: 21% (2,000,000 euros); landscape: 34% (3,300,000 euros); Convent for the Community: 45% (4,000,000 euros)


Funding


Renzo Piano Building Workshop

The Project

The scope of the project is to create a peaceful environment, whose quiet and discreet

beauty highlights and complements the chapel, while at the same time enhancing

existing facilities for visitors’ reception. Immersed in the lush vegetation of the

Bourlemont hill, the monastery is a place “of silence, prayer, peace and joy”, where

everything contributes to spiritual contemplation.

The project includes three main items: the gatehouse, the nunnery, and the

landscape.

The Gatehouse

In order to enhance the existing visitors’ facilities, the original gatehouse has been replaced with a new more functional building that houses a ticket office, corner shop, bioclimatic garden and a meeting room, along with administrative spaces. Part of the building is also dedicated to the research and conservation of the archives.

Cut into the slope of the hill the new gatehouse merges within the surrounding landscape. It features a large glazed façade that opens to the visitors arrival area and parking.

The Monastery

The monastery is composed of twelve domestic units for the sisters with spaces for common living (refectory and workshops), an oratory for religious pilgrims, and a lodge to host visitors in search of quiet and spiritual rest.

The rooms are small independent concrete units that are set into the hillside (2,70m x 2,70m). They are positioned in clusters that gently slope down the west side of the hill offering a cleared view of the valley thereby establishing a relationship with the community. Simple and spare, they are each given an individual winter garden, a space entirely dedicated to contemplation.

The oratory is conceived as part of the monastery. Positioned off the chapel’s site, it is embedded into the slope of the hill, creating a harmonious space with the chapel and the site. The oratory aims at being a place of communion open to pilgrims of all communities.

The building palette for the complex is simple: concrete, zinc, and wood to create an environment propitious to meditation.

The environment

Nature also plays a fundamental role in the project, highlighting the sacred and remote aspect of the site.

Preservation of the existing vegetation and forestation of the slopes helps create a sense of unity and sacredness throughout the design.

The project has been conceived taking into consideration all environmental procedures possible to reduce energy consumption.


Rehabilitation of the Ronchamp site

Beginning of the project: 2006

Client: Association Œuvre Notre-Dame du Haut + Poor Clares (Association Sainte Colette)

Landscape : Atelier Corajoud

Consultants : Sletec Ingénierie, M. Harlé, C.Guinaudeau, P.Gillmann, Nunc/L.Piccon

Monastery area: 1700 m², Gatehouse area: 450 m², Roofed area: 1386 m² (convent : 263 m² ; Poor Clares’ living area : 296 m² ; workshops : 120 m² ; oratory : 260 m² ; guest quarters: 443 m²). All these areas are fragmented into several small volumes.

Budget: 9.000.000 € including landscaping and site rehabilitation

Program: design of a convent with its related functions; demolition of the existing gatehouse and construction of a new one; demolition of the existing parking lot to be replaced by a smaller, planted one; landscaping and overall rehabilitation of the site.

The Convent : the living spaces of the nuns consist of: 12 cells and spaces for common living (1 common room; 1 refectory with annexed kitchen; 2 cells for the disabled; 1 infirmary)

Guest quarter : a nondenominational space for hosting visitors made up of 8 cells + 1 cell for disabled; 1 dining room; 1 small meeting room, 2 workshops (sewing rooms), 2 offices (12 m²), 3 parlors (10 m²), 1 oratory for 35 people

The Gatehouse : 1 building with public and administrative parts. The part open to public includes: a small meeting room, 1 ticket office, 1 refreshment corner, 1 shop corner, 1 bioclimatic winter garden, public restrooms. The part dedicated to administration includes: 1 first aid room, 1 office for researchers, 1 archive (Le Corbusier’s work)

Landscaping : including: demolition of the existing parking lot replaced with a smaller planted parking lot, enhancement of the ancient path leading from Ronchamp up to the Chapel, requalification of the entire site (clearance, planting etc)

Renzo Piano’s Biography

Renzo Piano was born in Genoa in 1937 into a family of builders.

He developed strong attachments with this historic city and port and with his father’s profession.

While studying at Politecnico of Milan University, he worked in the office of Franco Albini. After graduating in 1964, he started experimenting with light, mobile, temporary structures.

Between 1965 and 1970, he went on a number of trips to discover Great Britain and the

United States.

In 1971, he set up the Piano & Rogers office in London together with Richard Rogers, with whom he won the competition for the Centre Pompidou. He subsequently moved to Paris.

From the early 1970s to the 1990s, he worked with the engineer Peter Rice, sharing the Atelier Piano & Rice from 1977 to 1981.

In 1981, the Renzo Piano Building Workshop was established, with 150 staff and offices in Paris, Genoa, and New York.

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Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW): http://www.rpbw.com

http://www.rpbw.com/


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2006-2011

Rehabilitation of the Ronchamp site

Ronchamp, France

Client: Association Oeuvre Notre-Dame du Haut + Poor Clares (Association Sainte Colette)

Renzo Piano Building Workshop, architects

in collaboration with Atelier Corajoud, landscape architects (Paris)

Design team: P.Vincent (partner in charge), F.Bolle with N.Boutet, C.Eliard, C.Klipfel, L.Lemoine, N.Meyer, J.Moolhuijzen (partner), M.Prini, D.Rat, E.Rossato-Piano, V.Serafini, and A.Olivier, M.Milanese, L.Leroy; O.Aubert, C.Colson, Y.Kyrkos (models)

Consultants: SLETEC (structure, MEP and cost control); M.Harlé (graphics and signage); C. Guinaudeau (planting); Nunc / L.Piccon (project co-ordination); P.Gillmann (construction management)


The landscape architect Michel Corajoud

Considered as one of the founders of revival of the landscape architecture profession, Michel Corajoud has established himself by a multi-faceted and strong personality. It was in a fierce struggle against the tendency of older landscape architects who wanted to "naturalise" the city that he based both his thinking and practice. As he himself expresses it : "Until the beginning of the 1970s, French landscape architects were trained in the horticulture school style, and they therefore neglected to learn about city and architecture. It is thus the idea of "nature" which, the most often, presided over their work on urban spaces. I thus asserted the idea that the work of landscape architects on interstitial space should be, on the contrary, an introductory form of architecture, that harmony of purpose was necessary between buildings and the exterior spaces that they determine."

The environment:

Objectives: to redesign the access roads to the Chapel and to the Nunnery; to have a landscaped car parking area; to promote, care and replanting of trees; to ensure reafforestation of the outskirts of the Fraternity and to take into consideration ecology and sustainable development: renewable energy, global warming, insulation…

Michel Corajoud's biography

Born July 14, 1937 in Annecy, Michel Corajoud initially was a decorator.

Landscape architect qualified by the Ministry of Agriculture, he first worked in collaboration with Jacques Simon from 1964 to 1966 then, from 1966 to 1975, in association with AUA (the City Planning and Architecture Workshop) where he formed, with Henri Ciriani and Borja Huidobro, an urban landscape team.

Winner of the 1992 National Award for Landscape Architecture.

Studio profile

Since 1975, he works in association with Claire Corajoud, landscape architect. The office staff is composed by 4 landscape architects, 1 architect and 1 secretarie.

Since 2008 : Associated with Yannick Salliot and José-Luis Taborda in the SARL HORIZON / Corajoud-Salliot-Taborda workshop

Michel Corajoud (http://corajoudmichel.nerim.net)

http://corajoudmichel.nerim.net/


Partners and companies

They also thank all the companies of the site, as well as companies that contribued to the interiors of different buildings: Vitra Riva 1920

iGuzzini

Casalgrande Padana

Globo

Vismara

Velux

Condor Balnéo

Caminus Artis


The Owner of the Site: AONDH (a not-for-profit organization)

AONDH - „Association Œuvre Notre-Dame du Haut‟ is a not-for-profit organization based in Ronchamp on the same site as the chapel. The organization has about forty members and a Board of Directors, currently presided over by Jean-François Mathey, retired university professor and native of Ronchamp whose father, François Mathey, an admirer of Le Corbusier, chose the architect for the reconstruction of the edifice in 1953. This organization, the Association Œuvre Notre-Dame du Haut (AONDH), is thus the owner of the built and un-built site: chapel, outbuildings, land (of which a great number of parcels came from later purchases and gifts), etc, as well as all of Le Corbusier‟ s rights on the site, „the right to reproduce or to authorize any reproduction of his work, and the artistic property of the said chapel with its royalties and the assessment pertaining to them.‟ This was posed in a notary act on 6 January 1956, filed with the minutes of Maître Carraud, notary public in Vesoul, and duly registered.

The AONDH welcomes over 80,000 visitors each year from all over the world.

Board of directors

President: Jean-François Mathey

Vice-president: Jean-Marie Maire

Ex officio members: Louis Mauvais, chaplain; Monseigneur André Lacrampe, Bishop of Besançon

Secretary: Jean-Jacques Virot

Treasurer: David Tourdot

Members of the Board: Inge Linder-Gaillard, Agnès Veyssière and Noël Roncet


The Association "The Friends of St Colette" (AASC)

Association based on the law of 1901 and providing legal support for the Poor Clares of Besançon. The Association shall act as Clerk of Works for everything relating to the Clare’s Nunnery, and is a signatory, with AONDH, of a leasing contract for the building. Board of directors

President: Raoul SAURON

Vice-presidents: Jacques MOREL

Ex officio members: Louis MAUVAIS, chaplain; Monseigneur André LACRAMPE, Bishop of Besançon Jean-François MATHEY, President of the AONDH

Secretary: Geneviève SACHOT (Sister Marie-Claire)

Treasurer: Brigitte DE SINGLY (Sister Brigitte)

Members of the Board: Yves CALAIS, Marc LAMIREY, Hélène GROSJEAN (Sister Marie-Noël), Albertine BOLLE-REDDAT (Sister Marie-Céline)

The Community of Poor Clares

Established in Besancon from the middle of the 13th century, the Poor Clares have long fostered overseas missions in Asia (since 1932) and Africa (since 1954) and, from 1973, they have played host to foreign (female) students of the "Centre de Linguistique Appliquée", part of the University of Besançon.

Their multicultural presence here reflecting contemporary society, will give the place a new momentum.

Details: see the press release of the Community


Open house

Four days to explore the project created by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and the Studio Michel Corajoud.

Thursday, September 8

10 h 00 - 19 h 00 Open house

10 h 00 Pilgrimage

10 h 30 Office in the Chapel

12 h 00 Blessing of the

Monastery and visit

Renzo Piano and Michel

Corajoud

15 h 30 Marian prayer

17 h 30 Concert in the Oratory

Lole Cerri,

Eric Courrèges,

Lydia Mechali,

Friday, September 9

10 h 00 - 19 h 00 Open house


10 h 30 Reception for partners

11 h 00 Home and visit for the

President of the AONDH and

the chaplain Louis Mauvais

Presentation by Renzo Piano,

Michel Corajoud and Paul

Vincent.

13 h 00 Buffet reserv.

16 h 00 Official opening : Jean-

François Mathey and Raoul

Sauron

16 h 30 Speech

17 h 00 Official visit


20 h 30 Concert "Les Chenestrels" at

the Chapel


Saturday, September 10

10 h 00 - 19 h 00 Open house


10 h 30 Seminar The

Association "Friends

of Le Corbusier"

Information: D. Claudius-Petit:

[email protected]

15 h 00 Visit for the locals, etc.

17 h 30 Concert: "Bruchsaler

Instrumentalensemble

für Alte Musik" in the

Chapel

18 h 30 Concert: "Harmonie

ronchampoise" in the

Chapel

20 h 00 welcome drinck for

locals

Sunday, September 11

10 h 00 - 19 h 00 Open house


With the "Esslinger

Vocalensemble"


14 h 30 "Concert-promenade"

with the "Esslinger

Vocalensemble":

Marie-Valerie Track,

and Hartmut Wolf

15 h 30 Concert in the Oratory:

Marie-Claire Leblanc

and Patrick Ruby

16 h 30 Renaissance Music and

Baroque Music in the

Chapel: Martina

Kröner and Dorothee

Mack

mailto:[email protected]


Your Visit and Other Services

Address

Chapelle Notre-Dame du Haut 70250 RONCHAMP

Getting to Ronchamp

By car Ronchamp is situated on the Route Nationale 19 between Belfort (20 km) and Lure (10 km).

By train From the Paris train station „Gare de l'est" to Belfort: Departure 7:11am - Arrival 11:10am (except Sunday) „TER" train line from Belfort to Ronchamp: Departure 7:53am - Arrival 8:13am/ Departure 12:21pm - arrival 12:40pm/ Departure 5:25pm – Arrival 5:46pm (tickets available at the Belfort train station) „TER" train from Ronchamp to Belfort: Departure 12:55pm – Arrival 1:16pm/ Departure 6:16pm - Arrival 6:37pm/ Departure 7:21pm - Arrival 7:40pm (Board the train and ask for a ticket from the ticket inspector.) Please note: these times could change during the year; confirm the train times at www.voyages-sncf.com and www.ter-sncf.com By plane Basle-Mulhouse airport: www.euroairport.com

Access from the City Center of Ronchamp

Shuttle every 15 minutes „place de l’Eglise" (Church Square). Pedestrian access through the Stations of the Cross

http://www.voyages-sncf.com/

http://www.ter-sncf.com/

http://www.euroairport.com/


Press Contact

Clarisse François Phone: +33 (0)6 63 98 96 29 Email : [email protected] 10 Place du 14 juillet F-70250 RONCHAMP Web sites

The Project: www.ronchamp-2008-2010.fr The Chapel at Ronchamp: www.chapellederonchamp.fr The Community of Poor Clares: www.clarisses-a-ronchamp.fr Renzo Piano Building Workshop: http://www.rpbw.com Michel Corajoud : http://corajoudmichel.nerim.net

Captions available

1. Sister Brigitte de Singly and Renzo Piano visiting the site - ph. Michel Denancé

2. Paul Vincent and the Sisters visiting the site - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

3. Sketch, site plan - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

4. Site plan - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

5. Plan, Renzo Piano’s sketch - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

6. Model, plan - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

7. Oratory, elevation - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

8. Oratory, Renzo Piano’s sketch - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

9. Oratory, plan - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

10. Cell, Renzo Piano’s sketch - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

11. Cell, plan - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

12. Cell, elevation - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

13. Break room with its patio - ph. Michel Denancé

14. Cell, internal view with its Winter garden - ph. Michel Denancé

15. Cell, view through the Winter garden - ph. Michel Denancé

16. The landscape, Renzo Piano’s sketch - © Renzo Piano Building Workshop

17. Reference, the wood

You can download high resolution files:

ftp.rpbw.com

username : PRESS

password : Iconics64

folder: Ronchamp dossier de press

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.ronchamp-2008-2010.fr/

http://www.chapellederonchamp.fr/

http://www.clarisses-a-ronchamp.fr/

http://www.rpbw.com/

http://corajoudmichel.nerim.net/

ftp://ftp.rpbw.com/

tomorrow ronchamps

Documents

chapel of notre

ronchamp aasc

chapel notredame

private chapel

old chapel

dp aondh aasc ronchamp

parish of ronchamp

liberation of ronchamp