Religious architecture in Kornwestheim: rigour and formal purity

The New Apostolic Church in Kornwestheim, a town north of Stuttgart, was designed by architect Thomas Bamberg and completed in 2024. Defined by simple massing and a brick-clad façade, the new church stands on the same site as its predecessor in an area situated between a railway line, a large industrial estate and a residential neighbourhood. The concept of essentiality shapes both the exterior and the interior spaces, where every element contributes to a meditative atmosphere of silent contemplation.

The cloakroom, sacristy and multifunctional rooms are located in the western section of the building, while a foyer serves as a transition space between the multipurpose area and the main liturgical hall. Inside, the luminous white surfaces of the walls, floors and ceilings are accentuated by natural light streaming in through skylights and a continuous window running along the southern wall. The only touch of colour comes from the vibrant glass inserts, which cast rainbow-like reflections for a sense of quiet festivity. At night, the church’s interior lighting radiates outward. The wooden pews and altar are marked by the same sense of simplicity, bringing a touch of warmth to the rarefied atmosphere, while the wooden profiles of the organ, positioned above the entrance wall, are counterbalanced by the minimalist cross on the opposite side.

The sense of continuity between the presbytery and the rest of the liturgical space is reinforced by the flooring, where natural marble-inspired porcelain tiles from Casalgrande Padana’s Mineral Chrom Grey collection harmonise with the predominant white tones of the interiors. Religious architecture has long been a major area of application for the Italian tile manufacturer, whose recent projects include the Sunnenbühl church in northern Germany (again in collaboration with Bamberg Architektur), the new parish complex in Viareggio (designed by Simone Sfriso from TAMassociati) and the Madonna delle Grazie Church in the province of Lodi (designed by architects Vincenzo Corvino and Giovanni Multari). In Kornwestheim, the soft grey tones of the porcelain stoneware slabs create a sense of visual coherence, ensuring a seamless connection between the interior and exterior. In front of the church, a large white plaza serves as a modern-day parvis, a gathering and social space for worshippers. As Mario Botta observes, a place of worship first and foremost has a “collective meaning” and becomes a reference point for the entire community.