Through the dense jungle near Eureka Springs, Arkansas (states in the southern region of USA) is located Thorncrown Chapel for a grove of trees in the middle of the forest. The transparent facade, combined with the timber trusses, create the appearance of a grand forest rather than a carefully constructed chapel. But when you come in you ‘ll start appreciating the small details that set it apart as a paragon of architectural achievement.

With all the contemporary emphasis on modern sustainable architecture, sometimes we seem to forget that environmentally friendly architecture has existed for a long time. Built in 1980, Thorncrown Chapel was created with the idea of highlighting the natural setting, which was, and still is, an attractive natural setting for tourists in the area. The owner of the site, Jim Reed, hired well known architect, Frank Lloyd Wright alumni E. Fay Jones to design and build the site which used native timber to match the setting around it, and the result was a fantastic expression of architecture that was awarded the “Twenty-Five year award” by the American Institute of Architects.

To be built the chapel without disturbing the natural environment around it, the vertical and diagonal cross-tension trusses were made from local pine sources and cut to size so that they could be carried through the woods. The selection of materials was also an important consideration- all the timber came from local sources, the floor is made out of flagstone, and lined with a rock wall, linking it with its surrounding environment.