The roadside shrine in Bronowice

In the past, roadside shrines were orientation points, both literally and figuratively. As places of prayer and contemplation they helped people restore a sense of spiritual balance. The cross would typically be situated at their most central point. Around it, there would usually be a fence, separating the sacrum from the profanum.

In our project of the roadside shrine in Bronowice we reversed this perspective by raising its open-work fencing above the height of the roadside cross itself.

As a very important design aspect, light was let inside the shrine through the open-work, corten-steel bars, with square-shaped cross-section.

It was also important for us that standing inside the shrine should feel like looking up trees, with their slim trunks reaching to the sky. For us, as an architecture house working on projects of different scale and complexity, it was a very important and deeply personal design experience. We hope that this place will be equally valuable for the inhabitants of Bronowice.

Have a look at the project’s page.