The Salvation Army Chapel

I went to visit the Salvation Army HQ on Peter's Hill, close to St Paul's Cathedral a few weeks back to see the chapel designed by Carpenter Lowings.
Escorted by the security guard (they saw me coming!) I went up to the first floor in the lift and the chapel was straight ahead. This chapel is fairly conventional apart from the use of reflective louvres, angled so as to reflect an image of the sky into the room (see images below). My first impression after coming out of the lift was disappointment, it didn't have the immediate imapct I was expecting, but as I walked closer and my eyes become accustommed to the light the effect was stunning. It seems to be a running theme in working with light that the effect is subtle and takes time to appreciate.

Watching a image of the outside world pass by in realtime but being seperated from it is a wonderful experience. It allows the refuge of privacy at the same time as the affordance of view. It would make an excellent atmosphere for contemplation and meeting with God, provided a security guard isn't standing behind you!