The architecture of this new church offers itself to the faithful as a sanctuary of stillness and introspection, where formal simplicity becomes the primary vehicle for a profound spiritual experience.
The building’s body, a pure rectangular volume topped by a gabled roof, evokes the archetype of the primitive hut and temple, stripping away all superfluous decoration to make room for the true protagonist of the interior: light.
The large white surfaces are conceived as canvases upon which the sun paints shifting atmospheres throughout the day, emphasizing the sacredness of the space.
In this context of geometric rigor, the choice of terracotta flooring warms the environment, rooting the architecture in the earth and tradition, creating a harmonious contrast with the purity of the walls that reach toward the sky.
Light, Matter, and Spirit: The Journey of Faith through Sacred Architecture
LOCATION Roma, Italy
TYPE Sacred
YEAR 2021
STATUS Built
CLIENT Parish Sant’Alessandro, Roma
The believer’s experience within the liturgical hall is guided by a powerful visual and spiritual metaphor embedded in the floor.
Seven circles follow one another along the nave, marking a processional path that accompanies the person from the entrance to the threshold of the altar.
These circular elements represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, transforming the physical walk into a spiritual ascent: upon entering the church, the believer is gradually prepared to receive Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.
It is a spatial pedagogy that invites meditation, where each step brings one closer not only physically to the presbytery but inwardly to divine grace, making the act of walking an integral part of the rite.
The heart of the project lies in the design of the sacred furnishings, crafted from travertine marble with an almost sculptural sensibility.
The stone, traditionally associated with solidity and permanence, is worked here through subtraction, creating concave and convex forms.
This play of material sinuosity is intended not only to provide three-dimensionality to the objects but to “materialize” light, capturing it within the folds of the marble to foster an atmosphere of welcome and embrace.
The soft curves of the altar and other liturgical elements eliminate sharp edges, suggesting a divinity that protects and receives. Even the tabernacle, set into a marble device designed with extreme precision, becomes a focal point where the material seems to bend to reverently safeguard the Eucharistic mystery.
Attention to constructive detail is fully manifested in the joints between different materials, symbolizing the union between the divine and the human.
The crucifix, in its studied essentiality, draws strength from the encounter between the marble base and the wooden cross, a joint that celebrates craftsmanship and the truth of the materials.
This approach is also reflected in the clergy seating: the celebrant’s chair and those of the vicars, despite being massive works in travertine, appear visually light thanks to skillful carving.
The joints between the chair’s components are showcased as design elements, transforming the seat into an object of fine stone joinery.
Every detail, from the smoothness of the curves to the millimetric precision of the connections, contributes to creating an environment where matter speaks of beauty and silence becomes prayer.
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