Catholic Church in Macau by Richard Rivera

CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MACAU 8 Weeks ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE STUDIO A ARCHITECTURE 301 | SPENCER LEINEWEBER | FALL 2006

Design Process

To commence the anniversary celebration of the arrival of the Jesuits to Macau in 1563, a new Catholic Church will be built in the city’s historic center – a UNESCO World Heritage site near the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral. With its historic street, residential, religious and public Portuguese and Chinese buildings, the historic centre of Macao provides a unique testimony to the meeting of aesthetic, cultural, architectural and technological influences from East and West. This new landmark building will become the center of the festivities for fifty years until the sesquicentennial in 2063

– Site analysis and Programming (team) – Design (individual) A. Background of Macau

China Macau

– Country: Macau – Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China, Southeast Asia – Area total: 28.2 sq km – Climate: subtropical with cool winters, warm summers – Terrain: generally flat – Geography: essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea – Wind Patterns: JanFeb & Nov-Dec: North; Mar-May & Sep-Oct: East South-East; Jun-Aug: Southwest – Religions: 50% Buddhist, 15% Roman Catholic 35% none and other 35% (1997 est.)

B. The Ruins of St. Paul The Ruins of St. Paul is the remains of the first Jesuit church of Macau and what was once the largest Christian church in Asia. Measuring 28 meters wide and 38.5 meters high, the façade is a symbolic historic structure referencing the remnants of the Church of Mater Dei and St. Paul’s College Located on a hill, the original church succumbed to fires in 1595 and 1601. A new church was built between 1602–1640 by the Italian Jesuit ‘Blessed’ Carlo Spinola who had stopped in Macau on his way to Japan in 1600 to do missionary work. In 2005, the Ruins of St. Paul of historic Macau became a UNESCO World Heritage Site

C. Occupancy Classification – Assembly Group A – Identifies areas that generally bring large groups of people together in relatively small spaces – 50 or more occupants – Group A-3 Occupancy: Assembly areas that include spaces use for worship or recreation – Religious educational rooms and religious auditoriums which are accessory to churches with occupant loads of less than 100 shall be classified as A-3

D. Construction Type – Type IV (Heavy Timber Construction) E. Allowable Building Height and Area – 3 stories in height with a 15,000 sf per floor max F. Egress – Continuous, unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal exit travel from any occupied point in a building or structure to a public way (outside of a building) G. ADA – At least one main entrance, and at least 50% of all entrances to the assembly shall be ADA accessible maximum H. Program Information – Assembly Space for 1,000 people: 12,031 sq. ft. – Administrative Offices: 760 sq. ft. – Support Facilities: 3,700 sq. ft. – Future Space: 1,000 sq. ft. – Outdoor Space: 10,000 sq. ft.

I. Proposed Future Observatory Space Throughout history, many religious scholars have attempted to draw closer relationships between religion and science through astronomical studies. Today, scientists, philosophers, and missionaries continue to seek the knowledge to reinterpret the relations of science and religion, reason and faith, as a way to reach out to people. Establishing an observatory space with a collection of previously gathered data would serve a great addition to the Roman Catholic Church. This space would embody the knowledge of the past and the new astronomical findings of the future

CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MACAU

J. Concept “Reminiscence” is a narration of past experiences where an event may bring to mind a similar experience; a mental impression that is retained or revived. At the site of the historic ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Macau, a new Catholic Church will be built in the city’s historic center to commence the anniversary celebration of the arrival of the Jesuits to Macau in 1563. A historic locale of narrow streets and spectacular architecture influenced by both Eastern and Western styles, this new Catholic Church will look back upon its neighboring precedent while reflecting on the historic centre of Macau as it becomes a new landmark building

With the manipulation of natural sunlight and moonlight in combination with the emotion of reminiscence, I want to instill a sense of liveliness within the context of Macau. During the day, sunlight will play a symbolic aspect in the interior of the church. At night, artificial lighting from the interior will radiate from the building windows to resemble a glowing lamp, adding to the cities festivities for fifty years until the sesquicentennial in 2063

I intended to rotate my church on the site towards the direction of St. Paul’s Ruins to create a visual experience. An axis would also be created towards the ruins with sunlight from the central cut on the roof

The simple form and concept of my design derived from an ancient rock sundial

The purpose of incorporating the cut into my design was to emphasize sunlight to hightlight the central aisle, which holds the most important components of a church: the ambo, alter, chair and the baptistry pool

CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MACAU

In this design, I selected a girderbeam system rather than a truss system because the simpleness and straightforwardness followed my design

Space Division + Layout A. Administrative Offices 70’ x 11’ = 770 sq. ft. B. Church Sanctuary 151’ x 75’ = 11,325 sq. ft. a. Ambo b. Alter c. Chair d. Baptistry Pool C. Dark Atrium D. Support Facilities 32’ x 22’ = 704 sq. ft. E. Outdoor Observatory & Garden Space 11,000’ sq. ft. 6” x 3” girder 2” x 8” beam 2” planking 54” x 10” glue lam girder 18” x 3” beam 2” planking

8” x 8” wood column

18” x 18” heavy timber column

8” x 8” wood column

D C

Floor Framing Plan

Church Floor Plan A

18” x 18” heavy timber column

Roof Framing Plan

30” x 5” glue lam girder 18” x 3” beam 2” planking

T ransve rse E levation S ca le : 1 /3 2 " = 1 '-0"

Plates and metal hangers to stabilize and connect girders to columns, beams to girders and decking to beams

T ransve rse S ection S ca le : 1 /3 2 " = 1 '-0" Metal plates and bolts to connect beams to columns for rigidity and stability

T ransve rse E levation S ca le : 1 /3 2 " = 1 '-0"

CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MACAU

L o n g itu d in a l E le vation S ca le : 1 /3 2 " = 1 '-0"

54” x 10” glue lam girder

18” x 3” beam

concrete footing

L o n g itu d in a l S e ction S ca le : 1 /3 2 " = 1 '-0" Environmental Control Systems: Roof to create ventilation exit as hot air rises and escapes through opening

T ransve rse E levation S ca le : 1 /3 2 " = 1 '-0"

My intent was to create a sundial garden. Through research, I learned that in ancient times, the time of night could be foretold by the moonlight shining on metal

CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MACAU

Physical model was hand-cut and assembled using basswood, white museum board, translucent and clear plastic sheets, white foam core, green construction paper and colored model trees

CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MACAU