A FRAME ON THE PAST
AH8000
The project aims to bring back life to the Church of San Giovanni in Val di Lago by giving both the pilgrims on the Via Francigena and the citizens of the nearby town of San Lorenzo Nuovo a pilgrimage centre and a unique venue for cultural events. The proposal aims to respect the story and the existing architecture by interacting with it subtly. The concept of the project is therefore based on two main architectural actions: Framing and Contrasting. The act of framing is executed by a cantilevered semi hypogeum slab that clearly defines a space. This space recalls the typology of the courtyard due to its meditative and social nature that fits perfectly with the needs of the area, for pilgrimage and community functions. At the same time, the courtyard is “sunken” in the ground and therefore frames the view towards the church giving multiple interesting perspectives to be explored by the users. The contrasting action is given by materials and textures used expressively in juxtaposition with the church. The concrete used in thin, light and cantilevered forms, and the semitransparent plain curtains play with the old stone and its decorations. These two materials are repeated in the chapel and the pilgrimage spaces by using the same architectural language but declined according to the different levels of solemnity wished. For example, the same concrete and curtains are used inside the chapel to create a dramatic effect with an optically suspended dome and light games, while in the pilgrimage centre the same tools are used to communicate a more human scale and a less solemn atmosphere. The project is meant to offer a safe retreat for the locals and the pilgrims on their spiritual journey and to give them the chance for a unique experience. Even though the architecture strongly intervenes on the site, it is barely visible from afar. The purpose is to play with the passersby curiosity and lead them down the path and into the courtyard, where they can finally enjoy the surprise effect of a sudden view of the chapel and the courtyard. This is a willingly introverted solution that aims to reflect the introspective nature of the pilgrimage experience and preserve the value of the chapel. The blending between pilgrimage centre and landscape, the courtyard concept and the church roof, not clearly visible from outside, tell the story of an architecture that needs to be discovered. Therefore the monumentality of the project is given by offering a unique experience from a human perspective.
CONCEPT SKETCH
EXPLODED AXONOMETRY 1:300
11
10 2 1
CHURCH FUNCTIONS
PILGRIMAGE CENTER
OUTDOOR SPACES
The chapel octagonal space is reused as sacred space while the back part with original frescos is used as exhibition space. The only new interventions are the new concrete floor, the new roof and the altar platform with its background element. The roof is a concrete dome that is visually “floating” when seen from the inside, due to its offset from the original walls. Movable curtains are hanging from this gap between the walls and the dome and create a buffer space on the top and the sides of the church. Concrete is also used for the floor of the chapel, to cover the walls inside the arches and to create the dividing element behind the altar. Textiles are used to highlight the essence of the chapel by subtraction. When completely down, the semi-transparent curtains hide the materiality of the space and focus on the form of the arches that stands out also thanks to the artificial lighting. The different curtains configurations allow for multiple atmospheres, light effects and acoustics and make the chapel flexible to different uses, from Mass to concerts.
The pilgrimage centre spaces are arranged below the circular roof and in connection with the chapel. The common bedrooms, the bathrooms and the common room are connected through an outdoor covered corridor with arches and places to sit, relax and enjoy a nice view of the chapel. A simple and humble atmosphere with concrete, textiles and skylights is preserved also in these rooms to match with the pilgrimage spirit. The common room is easily accessible from the main entrance and in close connection with the outdoor functions, the auditorium and the courtyard. It is the central space for community activities and it includes a kitchen and flexible sitting furniture.
The outdoor spaces are divided by the entrance path, aligned with the chapel axis to stress the importance of the chapel as a focal point of the project. The multipurpose space on the north of the path is conceived as a flexible covered space suitable for all sorts of activities, from exhibitions to concerts and film projections, using the chapel as a natural stage. The cantilevered concrete roof protects all outdoor activities from heat and rain. The common outdoor space is located south of the path and it is connected with the pilgrimage centre spaces. The roof degrades into the landscape north of the courtyard and it is therefore easily accessible to allow the guests to experience the chapel and the courtyard from different perspectives and heights.
2 1 Chapel 2 Exhibition space 3
4 Bedrooms 5 Changing rooms (with showers and toilets)
9 Outdoor common space
6 Toilets (for both auditorium and pilgrimage center)
10 Stage
7 Storage/Technical room
11 Covered outdoor multifunctional space
8 Common room
(Auditorium, Exhibition, Film projections, ...)
3 Sacristy
9 4 8 7
6
5
PLAN 1:300
ENTRANCE VIEW
COURTYARD VIEW
CHAPEL VIEW - MASS
CHAPEL VIEW - CONCERT