Vatican exhibition is the highlight of the 2018 Venice Biennale
For the first time in the exhibition, the country presents eleven chapels designed by architects from all continents
By Fernanda Drumond
Submitted at Jun 20, 2018, 3:32 PM
03 min de leitura
01/11 -
Javier Corvalán designed the chapel as a cross-section of a cylinder placed in balance on a fulcrum. The entire structure is made of steel, while the cylinder does not touch the ground – if the earth is shaken or if the wind blows, the construction moves.
(Divulgação)
02/11 -
Conceived as a prelude to the exhibition, the structure designed by Francesco Magnani displays Gunnar Asplund’s architectural designs applied to the original chapel – located at the Skogskyrkogården cemetery in Sweden. Measuring just 33 m² , the pavilion references both the architecture of the cemetery and the appearance of huts in natural settings.
(Divulgação)
03/11 -
The chapel of Ricardo Flores and Eva Prats appears from a wall parallel to the path. In this part, a door turns towards the forest, abandoning the known destination offered by the linear paths towards the unknown.
(Divulgação)
04/11 -
The chapel of Brazilian artist Carla Juaçaba is made of four steel beams, each 8 meters long. Two of them make up the benches and the other two make up the cross. Resting on seven pieces of concrete, the stainless steel beams reflect the surroundings, making the chapel almost disappear into the forest.
(Divulgação)
05/11 -
Eduardo Souto de Moura designed a space enclosed by four stone walls with another rock in the center, referencing an altar. The entrance to the temple is hidden from the inside, the walls have a ledge on which visitors can sit and enjoy.
(Divulgação)
06/11 -
Sean Godsell's project expands the idea of the church as a resilient and dynamic entity, capable of surviving thousands of kilometers from Rome. The chapel can be transported, erected, repacked and re-erected wherever necessary.
(Divulgação)
07/11 -
Francesco Cellini's structure consists of two interconnected volumes that contain seating areas as well as two main liturgical elements: a pulpit and an altar. The chapel refrains from exuberance of form, working with the essential.
(Divulgação)
08/11 -
Andrew Berman’s simple structure resembles warehouses and prefabricated buildings. All exterior surfaces are clad in translucent polycarbonate sheets, while the interior is lined with black-painted plywood. The structure is a precise form of anonymous origin, an indeterminate presence in the landscape.
(Divulgação)
09/11 -
Terunobu Fujimori's cross chapel features a black exterior wall, suggesting a place of silent prayer. The interior wall is covered with plaster and embedded with charcoal chips, but around the cross it remains white, emphasizing the gold part.
(Divulgação)
10/11 -
Smiljan Radic designed a conical chapel with thin walls and an open ceiling, combining the monumental with the cozy. The building was inspired by roadside shrines.
(Divulgação)
11/11 -
Norman Foster created a small sanctuary with a focus on the natural landscape. The wooden deck and three crosses were transformed into a complete and imposing structure.
(Divulgação)
For the first time at the Venice Architecture Biennale , the Vatican has a special pavilion, the Vatican Chapels , which houses church projects by 11 architects. With representatives from five continents, the spaces feature a variety of cultural references.
According to Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican’s minister of culture, the pavilion was inspired by the Woodland Chapel in Stockholm, designed by Swiss architect Gunnar Asplund. The cardinal recently complained that modern churches are “ugly and not pleasant or welcoming to pray in” and hopes that the Vatican Chapels will restore the dialogue between the sacred and architecture. Under the curation of architectural historian Francesco Dal Co, important names were selected for the projects. Check out the chapels in the gallery!
