Whether Baroque opulence, modern simplicity or Brutalist austerity; the resounding toll of bells, religious rituals or solemn silence. Religious buildings have occupied a central place in Swiss society for centuries. For a long time, their halls were the heart of daily life, religion and community, whilst their towers marked the centre of rural villages and urban neighbourhoods.
Yet faith and the Church are becoming less and less prevalent amongst the Swiss population. Many of the once-bustling places of worship are increasingly standing empty, whilst a lack of tax revenue is making their costly upkeep increasingly difficult. Consequently, more and more parishes are seeking alternative property strategies. But which ritual and architectural qualities should be preserved in the process? What new uses could find a home in these once-sacred spaces? And what may – and must – change so that our sacred built heritage is preserved as a unifying and communal legacy?
Drawing on historical and contemporary projects from Switzerland, the exhibition demonstrates the many different paths of transformation that are possible – ranging from removed church pews to demolition. The aim is to foster a collective discourse on the transformation and preservation of sacred buildings. For their architectural and cultural value to be preserved, they deserve to take on new social meanings – even beyond religious rituals.
Out of Service? – Swiss Sacred Architecture in Transformation is an exhibition by ZAZ BELLERIVE.
Curated by: Fabian Ruppanner, Nora Hochuli
The exhibition will be featuring student works from the design studios series “Wertvolle Räume – Entwerfen am Baudenkmal” led by Silke Langenberg, Stephan Bischof, and Norbert Föhn, and the seminar week “Filming Space – Heritage as Social, Cultural, and Spatial Practice” organised by Construction Heritage and Preservation, ETH Zurich in collaboration with Adrian Dorschner and ZAZ BELLERIVE.