Updated at 17:53,27-03-2024

Belarusian Wooden Church In London Joins Building Of The Year Contest 2018

BelarusFeed, photos by Joakim Borén

Belarusian Wooden Church In London Joins Building Of The Year Contest 2018
The Belarusian wooden chapel in London is participating in the international contest Building of the Year 2018, ArchDaily.com reports.

It is the first wooden church built in London since the Great Fire of 1666!

Church of St Cyril of Turau and All the Patron Saints of the Belarusian People has been built for the Belarusian diaspora community in the UK.

It was built in 2016 to serve as a reminder of the traumatic loss of people and rural settlements in Belarus after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Belarusian Wooden Church In London Joins Building Of The Year Contest 2018


Its design draws inspiration from the local wooden churches in Belarus and offers a mixture of traditional and contemporary elements.

This project is saturated in Belarusian historical and cultural symbolism, while also firmly embedded in UK architectural innovation.

I hope it will also be viewed with welcoming curiosity by everyone, and encourage interest in that country from which its artistic inspiration was drawn,” said Mikalaj Packajeu, Chairman of the Association of Belarusians in Great Britain.

Belarusian Wooden Church In London Joins Building Of The Year Contest 2018


The chapel is located in front of the Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum founded by Greek-Catholic priests from Belarus.

The contest will see 3,500 architectural objects compete for the Building of the Year award.

Belarusian Wooden Church In London Joins Building Of The Year Contest 2018


Earlier on, the Belarusian chapel received the New London Architecture Award in People’s Choice category via online voting.

It is also earned the prestigious award of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2017 and was named among the 50 best buildings in England.