PEREGRINARIUM

Silesian University of Technology, (Politechnika Śląska), Faculty of Architecture, Gliwice

Project idea

‘Peregrinarium – a conceptual design of the pilgrim’s house in Lubań on Kamienna Góra as a stop point on the Way of St James’ addresses the need for contemporary architecture dedicated to pilgrims travelling to the tomb of the Apostle Saint James in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The increased interest in following pilgrimage routes was
a starting point for the investigation of requirements that ought to be met by the architecture of a pilgrims’ house – a place to shelter and regain strength. In order to explore the modern pilgrim’s needs, some existing structures and available literature were analyzed.

Project description

The research led to the development of guidelines, according to which ‘Peregrinarium’ was designed. A very unique location was chosen for the proposed design solution. The pilgrim’s house was placed on the site of an abandoned municipal outdoor swimming pool in Lubań on Kamienna Góra. Lubań is a city located at the intersection of three routes of St James, and the abandoned swimming pool area requires intervention to bring it back into use for inhabitants. The reflections on the function and location of the proposed structure resulted in an architectural concept of the pilgrim’s house designed to provide a safe stop for rest for pilgrims along their route, which would ensure both calming down and spending time together. An equally important aspect of the obtained design solution was fitting its volume in the existing landscape of Kamienna Góra.

Technical information

The construction design is based on the 8 x 8 m square grid. In addition, there are some pillars between the major axes that surround the terraces and the cloister garth. Peregrinarium is built mainly from CLT panels (Cross-Laminated Timber Panels). This eco-friendly recyclable material offers natural wood appearance using a non-traditional building method.
Moreover, the U-profile glass is used. The walls made from this material are translucent and allow more sunlight to flood into the corridors. Moreover, they reduce noise coming from the inner garden as well as ensure a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere in the accommodation zone.
Peregrinarium has a flat green roof that reduces air pollution and creates proper breeding conditions for many insects.

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