Grundtvig’s Church, Copenhagen – Daylight

I knew very little about Grundtvig’s Church in Copenhagen, a twenty-minute bike ride from central Copenhagen made it seem like a decent excursion on a bright and fresh September day. It is located in a modest residential neighborhood. It is sited at the center of a square created by modest houses built at the same time as the church (1921-1940).  Inside, the interaction and quality of the light and the space is marvelous. The only material used is blond brick; the floor, columns, and vaulted ceilings are all composed of this humble material. The results are stunningly sublime. The role of light in places of worship is of paramount importance, and in this church, the unadorned, restrained simplicity of the elements results in an exquisitely calm and contemplative space. From a lighting perspective, I do wonder if the fact that all the materials share the same (fairly high) reflectance values contributes to the overall feeling of calm.