A sacred monolith
Church in Italy by Mario Cucinella Architects
© Duccio Malagamba
With the Santa Maria Goretti parish church in southern Italy, Cucinella Architects have created a peaceful, monolithic structure. The Cucinella studio, whose headquarters are in Bologna, have used traditional elements of Romanesque church architecture and translated them into an innovative design set against the hilly background of the Calabrian town of Mormanno. The result is a tower-like volume with gentle curves. Executed entirely in white concrete, the floor plan is reminiscent of a four-leaf clover.
© Duccio Malagamba
The smooth façades rise as cylinders and are topped off with a flat roof. A striking caesura appears on the central portion of the main façade: it marks the entrance to the church and lovingly guides visitors inside.
Moreover, this high cut-in forms part of a large cross whose diffuse lighting by night gleams forth, making the house of worship recognizable as such even from afar.
© Duccio Malagamba
Inside, there is a large sanctuary. This area features an open design and is structured by the shape of the building. Seating for the congregation is distributed in the four apses around the altar. On the rear side of the church the sacristy, which has a separate entrance for the clergy, nestles against the exterior of the church building. The earth-coloured walls provide a subtle background. The architects have combined this colour with furniture of wood and steel that can be rearranged as needed.
Dies ist eine Bildunterschrift
Dies ist eine Bildunterschrift
© Duccio Malagamba
A lightweight room sculpture is the highlight of this house of worship: white, pellucid lengths of cloth have been hung from the 16-m ceiling. Their soft folds indirectly channel the light from above into the church, thus creating a tranquil, evocative ambience.
© Duccio Malagamba
The Church of Santa Maria Goretti includes a parish centre. Single-storey and orthogonal, it withdraws behind the white monoliths. It comprises common areas, classrooms and the home of the priest beneath its planted roof and rounds out the liturgical duo that is sure to attract not only believers, but architecture enthusiasts as well.
Architecture: Mario Cucinella Architects
Client: Diözese Cassano all'Jonio
Location: Via Santa Maria Goretti, 87026 Mormanno (IT)
Structural engineering: Milan Engineering
Gallery
These articles might also interest you
-
Revitalization in Tuscany
Mario Cucinella Architects Design Cultural Centre
The Palazzo Senza Tempo by Italian studio Mario Cucinella Architects brings new life to Tuscany. With its cantilevered terrace, the cultural building fits into the historic surroundings.
-
A school for beekeepers
Casa Dell'Ape by Enrico Sassi
Enrico Sassi's Casa dell'Ape is a teaching apiary in Coldrerio, a town in the Swiss canton of Ticino.
-
Sacred curve sketching
Church Addition in Leipzig
In Leipzig, Irlenbusch von Hantelmann Architekten have expanded the Zuckelhausen church not only with a new sacristy, but a parish room as well.