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This wedding chapel is situated in the grounds of a resort hotel and uses a two-leaf structural design - one leaf in glass and the other in steel.
The white steel leaf is a single structure of steel plate that forms a gentle, elegant curve. The white leaf has a pattern of holes, inspired by the lace veil worn by a bride. This veil is retractable, moving gently to suit the ceremony. At night, light spills beautifully from the holes in the veil.
The retraction mechanism, designed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, is in a pit under the floor. The steel veil weighs around 11 tonnes but opens in only 40 seconds, so quietly that it appears weightless.
The structural design of the glass roof is a steel arch in the image of the veins of a leaf. For both the glass roof and the veil, the structure is exposed. The structural engineering faithfully realises the architect’s intentions.
