Location
Catholic church of Bruder Klaus, Oberwil bei Zug
Date
November–December 2023
Type
Church benches in a protected modernist church (1954–1956)
Nature of work
On-site structural repairs, surface renewal of four benches, cleaning tests and a bespoke care product
Role
Conservator, in collaboration with Reding Werner AG
Client
Catholic parish of the City of Zug, with the Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology, Canton Zug
Context and aim
The Bruder Klaus church in Oberwil, designed by Hanns Anton Brütsch and Alois Stadler as a “Tent of God”, was consecrated in 1956. Its octagonal concrete space, painted by Ferdinand Gehr, is regarded as one of the most forward-looking Swiss church buildings of the 20th century and is protected as a regional monument.
Throughout the church, benches had loose kneelers, handrails, seats and prayer-book rests, cracked bench ends and loose floor fixings. These were repaired on site, bench by bench, while the church remained in use.
Four benches in row 13 were taken to the workshop in Einsiedeln. After a series of cleaning tests, the old alkyd coating was removed, damage repaired, and the surfaces retouched with earth pigments, primed with a size made to a historic recipe and refinished. For the long-term care of the benches we also developed a care emulsion of egg yolk, linseed oil and dammar, applied by brush and buffed to a silky sheen.
Gallery
The church and the benches
The Bruder Klaus church and the benches before the works.
Photo: the Bruder Klaus church, Oberwil
Photo: benches marked for on-site repair
Photo: the benches of row 13 before treatment
During treatment
Cleaning tests, on-site repairs and trials of the new care emulsion.
Photo: cleaning test with oxalic acid
Photo: cleaning test with hydrogen peroxide
Photo: cleaning test with citric acid
Photo: cleaning test with sorrel salt
Photo: repairing a cracked bench end
Photo: repairing a loose handrail
Photo: the work area in the church
Photo: testing the care emulsion
Photo: working the emulsion into the wood
After treatment
The restored benches back in place and the care emulsion.
Photo: the treated benches reinstalled
Photo: buffed to a silky sheen
Photo: the ingredients of the care emulsion
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