The brightly shimmering, 15-metre-high new building of the New Apostolic Church 
rises out of a tree-lined meadow flanked by the multi-lane federal road 294, a parking 
lot and the adjacent railroad line. The sculpturally shaped, polygonal structure marks 
the western entrance to the city of Pforzheim and is immediately recognizable as a 
sacred building. Its sloping roof rises from east to west and is crowned at its highest 
point by a striking skylight above the church hall.  

A flat ramp on the long side leads visitors through four emblematic pivot 
gates to a churchyard with benches on all sides. Three rock pears characterize the 
center of this courtyard in front of the church and create a place of arrival, tranquillity 
and transition from the noise of the busy main road and the hectic pace of everyday 
life to the solemnity and contemplation of the church service. This place is also well 
suited as a meeting point for the congregation before and after the events.  

The church is accessed along a continuous spatial axis that links the 
churchyard, the foyer and the church hall. The visitor's path leads towards the light: 
The focal point of the central axis is the altar made of rammed earth and its rear wall, 
which is illuminated by warm grazing light from above. Daylight filtered through 
wooden slats also enters the church interior via the side windows, so that the 
noticeably introverted room nevertheless appears very bright and inviting. 

The chosen material combination of clay plaster, silver fir wood and white 
terrazzo works with the natural colors of these materials. This gives the sacred space 
an independent and authentic character and a sensual, warm feel. Light-colored 
natural stone chippings were pressed into the still damp exterior plaster of the church, 
giving the simple material of plaster the necessary value.