Liulin Catholic Church / Leeko Studio

Architects: Leeko Studio
Area: 700 m²
Year: 2017
Photographs: Runzi Zhu, Zhi Xia
Design Team: Yikao Li, Zhuli Li, Dianxin Jia
Interior Design: Xunjun Xv
Lighting Design: Lei Pang
The Client: Catholic Church of Liulin
City: Lvliang
Country: China

Liulin Catholic Church, designed by Leeko Studio, embodies the intersection of modern architectural concepts and traditional values. Located in a small Central Chinese town, the church features a circular nave surrounded by functional spaces, constructed with a concrete frame and washed stone façade. Despite its modest materials and budget, the church’s design integrates community input, maintaining a deep connection to local culture. The collaborative process and emphasis on functional authenticity highlight the church’s enduring impact on its visitors.

Liulin Town, like many small towns in Central China, is a mix of brightly colored corrugated steel panels and gray concrete roofs against a backdrop of brown mountains with sparse green trees. The town’s seemingly chaotic yet vibrant atmosphere is contrasted by the peaceful and silent presence of the church on the hill. Its sloping cylindrical outline and towering spire can be seen from afar, creating a serene overlook of the town below, while the town gazes up at the church.

The architect, as the “author,” gradually set aside his ego to accept feedback from the priest and church members. This process was enlightening, shaped by his own beliefs and contemplation. Traditionally, the priest, representing “Party A,” repeatedly sought input from the larger congregation for design and construction support. This collaborative effort led to the success of the Liulin Church. When the first draft, resembling a landscape-like building, was rejected by the church members due to the absence of a “front façade,” it highlighted the balance between preserving traditional architectural styles and incorporating modern concepts. This illustrates the necessary adherence to established practices while embracing new architectural ideas.

The voluntary involvement of Xu Xunjun, an interior designer, and Pang Lei, a lighting designer, underscored the undeniable fact that even small projects require full cooperation among various professions. This collaboration often emerges spontaneously due to the project’s unique nature. When the rose window and church frescoes were installed, despite a limited budget, they demonstrated that the narrative power of imagery remained evocative within a building defined by modernist architectural language.

In an era where church buildings are often viewed as consumable landscapes, the Liulin Church’s functional authenticity and modest aesthetics offer a distinct counterpoint. It may not attract the largest crowds or become an Instagram sensation, but it promises to have a lasting impact on those who visit.

The Liulin Church features a straightforward spatial arrangement. The main circular nave is surrounded by smaller circular volumes housing functional spaces such as a chapel, wardrobe room, reception room, and office. The circular bell tower serves as a visible landmark at the hill’s base. The construction combines a concrete frame structure with infill block enclosing walls, a roof covered by local blue tiles, and a washed stone façade, revealing a makeshift character. Compared to numerous other architectural designs that incorporate circular assemblages, the Liulin Church may lack precision in formal composition and refinement in construction. However, it is this very state of “scarcity” that achieves a sense of proper moderation.

During an economic recession, ascetic aesthetics emerged as an effective design strategy reflecting the ethos of austerity. This approach, seen in John Pawson’s minimalist designs or Peter Zumthor’s hermit architecture, often serves as an aesthetic facade for the wealth behind such buildings. Although the Liulin Church cannot be directly compared to Pawson’s boutique shops or Zumthor’s Serpentine Gallery in terms of spatial quality and materiality, it achieves a genuine state of austerity due to its “scarcity.”

The design showcases restraint, avoiding individual expression and embracing unadorned materials and structures. Against the coarse gray washed stone and exposed concrete roof, the stained glass windows and interior frescoes stand out as precious elements.

When the church was completed, the priest drew a parallel between the interlocked circular roofs and the story of five loaves and two fish from the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus fed 5,000 believers with meager resources. This story, inspired by the final architectural structure, reflects the project’s foundation: the scarcity of resources and the collaborative efforts of various participants. The resulting architecture is true to its purpose, emphasizing life and use over representation, embodying a profound architectural ethic.