Central space of the chapel with the focal point at the altar. Photos: Mo0ni, Flickr
MONASTERY CHAPEL BENEDICTINO
Save and Martin Gabriel Correa
Santa Maria de los Condes. Los Piques
Santiago, Chile. 1964
This small temple is one of the emblematic works of contemporary Chilean architecture. Would be projected by two young Benedictine monks who have qualified architects status.
The project, be an early work, was developed with great effort and intensity in the same monastery in which the authors were resident and would devote two full years of work.
The idea of the building is essentialism end in which the use of concrete and treating white daylighting acquire a role. The forms depurarían the end, maclando two cubic volumes interstices whose address it outside light. With that crosslinking placed in the center the altar, would link the community of monks properly in the presence of external faithful one common liturgy.
A third and fourth overlap cube to house the bell tower and the gateway. The intersection of the volumes are used for generating cracks tangentially lighting bathe canvas and produce a highlight of the textures derived from the table formwork to the concrete walls would.
The volume closes with radicalism into outer space in order to maintain a voltage of seclusion without losing the presence of the external universe and seasonal changes. The clever arrangement of illuminated dots and guidance they grant a role the sun that lights up your day tour certain selected areas.
The influence of Le Corbusier and last brutalist-style present in Chile in the mid-twentieth century- would be very obvious. Coincide in some way with a particular aesthetic search: representing the contemporary world an expression of purity and stripping material link with the ideals of the Order founded by St. Benedict.
References:
Presentation Monastery Chapel. Karinba Platform Architecture for Duke
Interview with Martin Correa. Scribd
Videoentrevista al author. Arqfilmfest, Vimeo
Building visual description. Rolando Hammer
General Plant Project and axonometric scheme
View from the access. Photos: Sustanaible frog, Flickr
Ramp in the path of ingresoFoto: Ricardo Ugarte, Flickr
