Rome Contemporary Chapel

Description

Introduction

“Architecture is the will of the time translated into space” -Mies Van der Rohe

For centuries the population undertook great efforts to materialize their buildings and shape the cities they lived in. Taking advantage of the conditions of the surroundings and using common sense they built residences, shops and temples that connected with their spirituality.

The worship of the gods was represented in many ways depending on the culture; with offerings, rituals, monuments or buildings. In the occidental world, the construction of churches was very important to fulfill the liturgical functions, and at the same time, express the architectural style of the period. The ambition to better the churches allowed the architecture to evolve, being that in their projects the construction methods and the technology of the period was taken to its limits.

Rome is the cradle of the occidental civilization and the most important witness of the multiple cult constructions along history. In Rome more than 900 churches coexist, being that it is the world center of Christianity and the experimental enclave for these type of buildings.

The city summarizes the perfect examples of brilliant architecture for worship purposes: some of them are the temples of the ancient Roman Empire which collect the Greek traditions in their floor plans and facades with only a few modifications. Another example is the Pantheon, whose presence and function in the city continues in force even though the population does not practice the same religion for which it was conceived. Several Christian churches coexist in the city that were study exemplar in architecture history. From the firsts Christian churches like Saint John Lateran tothe baroque churches like the Church of the Gesù or even the Saint Peters basilica in the Vatican City. 

In spite of the great amount of churches that exist in Rome, each one of them contributed something that the other did not have. In all of these cases, the successive layers of history express the ideology and technique of each age, enriching the spaces in a natural evolution of architecture. Today, with new techniques and languages, this type of program is still suggestive in regards to the treatment of light, spaces and gloom.

Nowadays the majority of the population live in cities, transforming the urban landscape into something complex and vertiginous moving away from those popular constructions that were made with common sense. The churches continue to be peaceful places disconnected from the noises of the city where citizens admire and enjoy the atmosphere without necessarily sharing religions. The penumbra and silence that the architecture proposes elevates the human being to connect with its interior and to reflect on its existence.

Proposal

Rome accumulates in its streets thousand of years of history. Its rich culture, its people and the intense and vibrant activity turn it into a reference world capital. Today, the city of Rome offers a different scenario according to society in which we live in marked by the mobility, the technology and the individuality. In a delicate European context, still in an economic crisis but proud of their racial crucible and welcoming refugees, spaces for introversion and shared dialogue are increasingly needed.

For this reason, ARCHmedium proposes to rethink spiritual and worship spaces in the cities. One only temple for the dialogue of all religions, a common place for all creeds. Rome Contemporary Chapel aims to be a place of encounter, a space for dialogue and hope for peace in a complex world.

Located in the historic Via Giulia of Rome, one of the most important streets in Rome and of the world, the scope of intervention is an urban enclave which has been unresolved for decades as a result of demolitions carried out by Fascism. That is why in this competition we propose to solve the architecture of a chapel and the public space of the immediate urban environment.

Program

The program for the Rome Contemporary Chapel competition is understood as reduced and flexible. The established facilities for worship and reflection should include, an access hall, a main space with elements to rest (chairs or benches), an altar or an area to place a statue and public bathrooms. It should also include a second access, 2 small offices, a private restroom and changing rooms.

The small pavilion should take into account the access through the plaza and the relation with the exterior space.