Carmela Bogman designs the Savage Silence chapel in Netherlands. A holy view on nature

In nature area the Bossche Broek a small chapel called Savage Silence, designed by Carmela Bogman was recently placed. Savage Silence is accessible from the dike through a narrow wooden path and creates a viewing line in the direction of the surrounding landscape with at its background the Saint Jan cathedral. Looking from the direction of the Bossche Broek, Savage Silence looks like a small chapel placed between the trees. A natural element in nature and the regional tradition.

Nature area the Bossche Broek and Den Bosch, a city in the southern part of the Netherlands, owe their existence to one another. In the past the Bossche Broek was a place where battles were fought and the troops slowly sank into the swamp trying to invade the city. According to catholic tradition the location where a miracle took place, a chapel is built to mark this miracle. Savage Silence trans-lates the miracle of the Bossche Broek, a history of violence resulting in a beautiful landscape, and at the same time contributes to the silence and its surrounding.

To make sure that Savage Silence is a subtle element in its environment, it is made out of Cor-Tensteel. The rusty colour is beautifully in balance with the surrounding nature. The walking path is made out of sustainable Accoya wood, which can be recycled after use. The wind vane which is displayed at the highest point of the chapel, consisting of a knight and a stork, is a reference to the miracle of the Bossche Broek and represents the turbulent history and the beautiful nature that resulted from it.

Savage Silence is a design of Carmela Bogman, under the authority of the municipality Den Bosch, BKKC and the province Noord-Brabant. Photography: Niels Huneker.

Carmela Bogman - Design for Public Space

Carmela Bogman places the emphasis on people in her designs for public space with projects that are art as well as design. All projects start with a research in the plan area and are focused on the present landscape or architectural elements, the future users and the cultural history. Bogman believes in the power of detail.

Since the beginning Bogman works in different teams on various assignments. Such as the Pop-Up furniture in cooperation with Rogier Martens (2010) and the furniture Single Scatter for the C-Mine in Genk, Belgium, together with HOSPER (2012). The Tumble Seed, nominated for the FrameMoooi award in 2013, was an independent project of Carmela Bogman.

Apart from her designs Bogman also explores the boundaries of her profession by research. Such as Creative Coasts a research about the function of water in the city of Gdansk, Poland and My Way or the Highway a research about private road ownership under the authority of the province Overijssel. From 2011 Bogman organizes together with Femke Glas (BNO), GO live. A series of visits and discussions with sustainability as the main topic.

Source: Carmela Bogman

Visit the Carmela Bogman website