david altrath photographs germany’s autobahnkirche

 

David Altrath turns his camera toward the Autobahnkirche Siegerland, a roadside chapel by schneider+schumacher beside the A45 motorway near Wilnsdorf, Germany. His photographic series focuses on the sculptural geometry of the building, tracing the transition from its stark white exterior to the warm, intricate timber structure inside.

Completed in 2013, the chapel was designed as a place for travelers to pause beside the motorway. Its exterior translates the familiar pictogram of a church into a three-dimensional architectural form, with two pointed spires rising above a folded white volume. Altrath photographs this silhouette from close and distant perspectives, isolating its sharp edges, sloping planes and openings against the surroundings.

all images by David Altrath

 

 

capturing the chapel’s timber interior

The series shifts toward the material and structural qualities of the building. Inside, a vaulted gridshell made from 66 engineered lumber profiles curves continuously across the walls and ceiling, creating a dense geometric pattern. Altrath’s images draw attention to the repetition of the timber ribs, often framing sections of the structure rather than presenting the interior as a single whole. The photographer also captures how daylight interacts with the gridshell. Small openings across the roof introduce points and strips of natural light, while larger skylights within the spires illuminate the chapel from above. The light picks out individual timber panels, creating changing patterns across the curved surface.

Altrath’s photographs present the Autobahnkirche as a study in geometry, material and light. By moving between its graphic exterior and enveloping timber interior, the series documents the chapel through the architectural details that become most visible when the building is experienced at a slower pace.

the white volume extends into the landscape through a long sloping access ramp a raised walkway leads toward the chapel between angular white walls two pointed spires rise above the chapel’s folded white roofline the chapel’s white facade and pointed spire form a stark silhouette against the overcast sky

the chapel’s white volume extends through the landscape

a close view highlights the sharp geometry of the chapel’s spire and entrance one of the chapel’s pointed spires rises above its angular white volume a stair leads to the ground below the chapel’s white entrance is reached by a sloping walkway curved timber ribs intersect to form sculptural openings within the chapel the vaulted structure frames the white altar wall and its cross the chapel’s timber structure curves around the illuminated altar space the timber gridshell curves around the chapel’s central nave and altar timber stools fill the chapel beneath its vaulted gridshell ceiling candles line a simple altar set against the curved timber enclosure linear candle shelves follow the curved timber wall a small publication display is integrated into the chapel’s timber structure rectangular skylights puncture the timber vault the timber vault opens toward the white altar and cross

a series of skylights brings daylight into the chapel

 

project info:

name: Autobahnkirche Siegerland

photographer: David Altrath | @davidaltrath

architect: schneider+schumacher | @schneiderschumacher

location: Wilnsdorf, Germany

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