SACRISTY_A QUIET BUILDING
Usually, it is the place that tell us the answers. Its historical, emotional, symbolic and aesthetic aspects create what is commonly called inspiration. It is an overwhelming feeling that indicates us an obvious and transparent way that one can hardly forget or divert.
That was what happened at the intervention place. A religious building with a rigorous geometric morphology and typology and with a very peculiar symmetric. We know that sometimes the right thing to do is to limit the intervention to the essential gestures, and that was exactly our concern during the designing process.
We found in the silence the best way of affirmation to expand the new sacristy, respecting the existing religious building,
The project focused on creating a focal point in the main altar, framed by the vertical light coming from the vestry window and by the mountain line from the landscape.
One of the concepts established in the project was to create a simple, geometric and symmetrical volume, attached do existing building, which clearly respected it as well as reinforced the symmetry axis of the chapel. This axis corresponds to a physical and visual line that starts at the gateway, runs the nave of the chapel through the altar and culminates in the sacristy.
The volume is a square of 4 meters side, which intentionally is rotated to create a major axis of perspective and a simpler connection. At the apex of the square is opened the gateway for access the sacristy.
Within the outer square was created another square, within which is inscribed a circle from which arises a decentered dome with a diameter of 2.50 meters. This central space is essential to take some light into the interior space of the room and enhance the entry torn on the existing building, which marks the space of the preparation of religious rituals. Structurally, the volume is based on two crossed beams that allow its lift from the floor in a mild and gentle way.
The volume as an element of pure and centralizing geometry, aims to be silent and discreet. Regarding materials, we chose to use ETIC system white painted, giving the entire exterior of the volume an image of continuity with the existing one. Inside we opted for the combination of two materials: exposed concrete ceiling and wooden pine floor and walls. The stereotomy used in the concrete ceiling is reflected in wooden rules on the floor, which alone give continuity to the walls.
We hope that the ceremony becomes more dignified by the construction of this new space contiguous to the chapel of St. Anthony, in Boaldeia.
Projeto ATELIÊ DO ROSSIO, ARQUITECTURA E DESIGN
Álvaro Pereira arquiteto