Service instead of Self-expression

2012/1 Magazine

The Church of Divine Mercy in Győr -Kismegyer

Architects: Mihály Balázs, Katalin Somogyi-Soma

Text: Dominika Vámos

Photos: Tamás Bujnovszky

Fotók / photos: Tamás Bujnovszky

The church is an undivided space of a single powerful gesture which because of its proportions, light conditions, building materials and items of furnishing is both simple and elevated, functional and timeless, accidental and ambitioning to perfection. The minimalist means applied by the architect is only limited to spatial proportions and the accentuated presentation of the material qualities of building materials and structures. The sanctuary which rises above the floor level of the nave with a few stairs gains importance with the verticality of its background wall and

dense brick ribs directed towards the light coming fom the sky. Although the organization of the space conceptionally keeps to the system of proportions typical of classic longitudinal church spaces, also the tabernacle is found on the axis of symmetry of the sanctuary with a wooden crucifix above it. As his own signature as an architect, Mihály Balázs conjured a small-scale symmetry into the seemingly strict order: the low inclination of the backbone of the roof is at a hardly recognizable angle with the central axis of the space, thus subconsciously directing the attention of the believers towards the wall opening on the right-hand side which opens right upon the old chapel.