The folded-plate walls in the upper church are, so to speak, the crown jewel of the Church of Our Lady. Time and again, visitors are amazed and fascinated by the unique effect they radiate. Depending on the position of the sun and the weather, the daylight shifts inside, creating a truly special spatial experience.
Photo: view from the gallery
The two glass-fiber-reinforced acrylic glass walls resemble an oversized gathered curtain. They are constructed of similar trapezoids and isosceles triangles that form staggered and raised shapes. The translucent pleating accentuates the architecture of the béton brut ('raw concrete').
Photo: at an event
The acoustic properties of the construction and the material can be compared to those of recording studio linings. They ensure a harmonious sound and a short reverberation time, which is unusual for a church interior of this size. Acoustic musical instruments and voices are shown to advantage. In the unique folded plate walls, mathematics and art, technology and sensuality combine.
References:
Euskirchen, Claudia: Unterschutzstellungsurkunde für die Liebfrauenkirche Duisburg Mitte, Begründung, Duisburg 2005.
Hermanns, Toni: Die neue Liebfrauenkirche, in: Kath. Pfarramt Liebfrauen, Festschrift zur Kirchweihe Liebfrauen und Minoriten 1961, Duisburg 1961, p. 12-14.
Lang, Gundula: Der Architekt, die Kirche und die Göttin. Zum Bau der Liebfrauenkirche in Duisburg von Toni Hermanns, in: Stevens, Ulrich, et al. (Ed.): Denkmal-Kultur im Rheinland. Festschrift für Udo Mainzer zum 65. Geburtstag, Worms 2010 (Arbeitshefte der rheinischen Denkmalspflege, Band 75), p. 334-341.
