Rodenbach Protestant Church

Completed in 1756 the Rodenbach Protestant Church (Evangelische Kirche Rodenbach) was comprehensively modernized in 2018/2019.

Client: Rodenbach Protestant Church (Altenstadt)/Wetterau
Architects: Qualified engineer Joachim Sykala, Ev. Regionalverwaltungs-Verband Wetterau and
Melzer Architekturbüro GmbH, Büdingen
Design: Bernd Fischer, Offenbach/Main
Implementation and installation: Glasmalerei Peters, Paderborn

Task:
In 2018-9 the church was modernized taking into account building heritage requirements. Specifically, an anteroom was created that had to be separated from the church interior. The planned vestibule was to have winged doors of glass, a skylight and run from floor to ceiling.
In devising a design, consideration was to be given to the subdued coloring of the nave free of pictures.
What was wanted was something that was as unobtrusive as possible yet striking and highly visible. Naturally, the design was to harmonize well with the existing architecture. The task included finding a suitable motif for the door design and appropriate door handles.

Artistic solution:
My suggestion was for a corona with a triangle at its center. Fluted bevel patterns were used for the design. The resulting light refractions simultaneously infuse both glass and light with vibrancy: varying lighting conditions, the motion of the doors and viewing angle alter the subtle play of color produced by the refracted light and create a dynamic diversity. While a door is visible it harmonizes with the overall design of the space and is not intrusive. All optical effects and topical references to transcendence are generated exclusively by the glass beveling.
The proposed antique door knobs were also used.

Technical details:
Door system made of glass
Format: Total height 360 cm x total width 170 cm x glass thickness 1,2 cm, two wing doors, one skylight
Depiction of the corona: V-shaped patterns worked into the surface of the glass
Installation: Cut side of the glass in the nave, smooth side in the vestibule
Wing opening extends into the nave
Handles: Four antique brass door knobs, each: Ø: 69mm