Maria Laach Abbey

Prepared by
Chong Jui Siong 1001852508
Wee Wan Ting 1001852767
Tan Sze Yee 1001852788
Connie Yu Sing Wen 1001852789
Heidy Wong Hai Yee 1001852790
Main Function of The Building

● The main function of the building is

for monastery as the place of the
monks for performing religious
functions.
● This building also used as a
church for public prayer.
● The monastery complex usually
includes many building such as
church,
dormitories,cloisters,refectory
(canteen), libraries, balneary
(baths) and infirmary (infirmaries).
●

● Ceremonies are held regularly and

religious philosophy is taught.

Worship
By Wee Wan Ting
Design of The Building

● The orientation of the building is faced east

to west has symbolism the christian story
that Jesus rising from the dead at sunrise on
Easter day
● The window in the east end of the building
lets the sunrise enter into the building which
symbolising God as the light of the world.
● The function of the two circular tower at the
western end is used to inspire the
contemplation of the heaven.

Maria Laach Abbey Facade

By Wee Wan Ting
Plan of The Building

Floor Plan for Maria Laach Abbey

● This building built in cross shape because it represents the cross in christian teachings on which Jesus died for our sins.
● The Narthex is the entrance of this building which represented the symbolic place for the transition.
● The nave is the large central aisle which located in the middle of western end in this building and it symbolically refers to Christian
doctrines such as Noah’s Ark and the life course of Christians.
● The crossing is a part of the cross shape in this building and normally less holy people will sit at there while priest or vicar will sit
at chancel and sanctuary which located in the east.
By Wee Wan Ting
Special Ornaments or Features
The Paradise

● The entrance hall located in front of westwork.

● The entrance facing west side and altar on the east side which meant that people praying towards Jerusalem,
where Jesus was crucified, also letting more sunlight
● Not as a simply entrance, it symbolic as a place of transition which going through the outside world into this
spiritual place.
● Thus, it is where worshippers put aside their business and prepare themselves enter the place with thought and
calmness also worship of God.
By Connie Yu
Special Ornaments or Features
Abbey Church

● Nave, central aisle in the middle of western end of church.

● It means ship in Latin which symbolic Christian teachings such as Noah’s Ark and the passage of Christian through
life.
● Looking up the ceiling, similar like stood inside an upside down belly of a ship, the ship represent as immortality like
journey of life continues after death.
● Apse Mosaic of Christ Pantocrator from 1910s emphasise the worshipper turning towards god in easterly direction By Connie Yu
Special Ornaments or Features
The Crypt Six Points of Serenity

● The dome or other large vaulted space in the ● The six towers are rare piece of Romanesque architecture
interior to represent or draw attention to the which emphasis of harmony. This is because others usually
heavens, also bringing light to the world only have two or three.

By Connie Yu
Special Ornaments or Features
Genius Loci

● The landscape with lake basin and tree covered hills around, actually a volcano erupted there nearly 13,000 years
ago.
● Natural features such as mountain, river as a particular genius which basis for man to create dwelling place to reflects
the genius of landscape also shaping the character of man.
● Thus, helping to produce the spirit of a people and possess forms on the basis of earth sky relationship

By Connie Yu
The Massing and Scale of the Building from the Location of the Site

● Maria Laach Abbey is located

far from the Glees, Germany.
● The building is facing east to
west toward the holy city of
Jerusalem because God’s
presence was said to be
strongest in medieval writing.
● It is surrounded by natural
feature such as lake, hills and
greenery. The monks can get
the food from the natural to
survive.
● As the building is surrounded
by natural feature, the life
within the wall of monastery
can supported by
manufacturing and selling the
agricultural product.

By Tan Sze Yee

The Massing and Scale of the Building from the Location of the Site

● Apse Mosaic of Christ

Pantocrator is huge and placed
in the middle of the nave. It is to
show the power of the God.
● The stained glass window at the
both side allow the natural light
to enter which represented the
light of God.
● With this ambient, people
believe they can experience the
presence of God.
● It is a quiet and natural space
for the monks to stay and
monasticism.

By Tan Sze Yee

What is the most important contribution of this building to architecture
practice in the present time?

Transitional Style and the continued use of Romanesque forms

● Romanesque architecture building are more to simplicity when compared to the gothic building. Every building has
clearly defined forms,very regular and symmetrical plan.

● The style can be identified right across the Europe,despite regional characteristic and different material.

● Romanesque architecture is the combination of contemporary western roman and byzantine buildings.and it is
known to have its massive quality,thick walls,round arches,sturdy piers,groin vaults,large towers and
decorative arcading.

● They also combined the basic element to form ceilings or roofs, also known as vaults.They also followed the
principles of the arch to form hemispherical ceilings and roofs, which are known as domes.
What is the most important contribution of this building to architecture practice in
the present time?
Romanesque Vault
● Vault is one of the architecture element Maria Laach Abbey. It help to support
the high arch shape ceiling.
● also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault
● an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve (or pair of
curves, in the case of a pointed barrel vault) along a given distance. The
curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to
the total design.
● it is capable of supporting a great amount of weight. Weight and thrust are
distributed evenly from the top of the arch downward.

By Chong Jui Siong

What is the most important contribution of this building to architecture practice in
the present time?
Romanesque Vault (continue)
● nowadays , there is some building still remain this architecture element especially in the warehouse design.
● The stone material is replace with steel structure to make it more stable.
● Some of it will using precast concrete to build a entire roof.
● Apply in most of the public building nowadays.

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By Chong Jui Siong

What is the most important contribution of this building to architecture practice in
the present time?
Groin Vault
● Groin vault is one of the feature in Maria Laach Abbey and it can be see at the
very clear at transept.
● It also known as double barrel vault or cross vault
● It is the combination of two tunnel vault.
● The force is all gather at the piers.

By Chong Jui Siong

What is the most important contribution of this building to architecture practice in
the present time?
Groin Vault (continue)
● Groin vault rarely saw in the architecture nowadays.
● It only use in some special design building and normally is public building.
● More arch shape have been use instead of 4 arch to create dramatic effect.
● Some of it directly use the end point of the arch become a column.
● Some of it use as decoration purpose.

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By Chong Jui Siong

Casa Dos Arcos
Designed by João Filgueiras Lima

● The interior resembles that

of a typical Romanesque
architecture characteristic
and elements.

● The architect's intention is to

focus the attention on the
central space of the
residence, monumental and
solemn, with its almost eight
meters in height, like a
Romanesque nave.

● It is designed with the

repetition of the sturdy piers
and round arch with
transparent panel and the
robust and opaque aspect of
the brick which serve the
strong integration with the
outside.

By Heidy Wong Hai Yee

Grundtvigs Church
Designed by Jensen Klint
● The interior resembles that of a typical
Romanesque and Gothic church with a
nave, two lateral aisles and a small
transept.

● a long, narrow nave, an extremely high

ceiling, the columns which rise up to
pointed arches and the ribbed groin
vaults above the nave and aisles.

● It is the yellow brick and the lack of

ornamentation which contribute to the
Gothic verticality while adhering to the
minimalist modern aesthetic.

By Heidy Wong Hai Yee

Library, Museum and Community Center
Designed by Molenaar Bol van Dillen Architects

● The interior was designed with mostly

round arch and the extremely high ceiling,
the columns which rise up to pointed
arches and the ribbed groin vaults.
● It is also decorated with several roman art
on the wall.

By Heidy Wong Hai Yee

End
Thank You