projects | Viabizzuno progettiamo la luce

the church of saints quirico and giulitta built between 1913 and 1915, with a large south-facing parvis on two levels, is located on a main curved thoroughfare which links the different levels which are a feature of the hillside town. the state of disrepair of the parvis made it necessary to carry out a series of urgent works for its repair, structural consolidation and restoration.the works involved the complete resurfacing of the pavement, the installation of a rainwater collection system, the restoration of decayed elements and the rebuilding of certain parts, the restoration of damaged areas of the brickwork, the cleaning of brickwork and steps, the resurfacing of parts of the plaster and the cement copings with a final skimming, the reorganisation of the gardens and the installation of lighting. attention was focussed primarily on the main axis of the church with the new design of the paving and the installation of lighting poles on the two levels of the parvis. the rows of greenery (12 cercis siliquastrum) the shrubs, the herbs and grasses (about 150 varieties, some quite rare), together with the burnt brown steel slat protective railing screen the parvis from the road, creating a more private area which enables one to prepare oneself spiritually before entering the church. the irregular form of the slats, representing mankind’s life course, becomes more regular in certain places creating the effect of a cross. the pavement is of slabs of lavarosa, which integrates well with the colour of the church’s plasterwork and the brickwork of the parvis, and Tuscan pearl grey slabs to create a pattern which on the upper parvis, with the play of empty and solid areas, is reminiscent of the central part of the church in the form of a greek cross, and opens fully towards the main door, visually framing the two side doors also. the design of the lower parvis’ pavement retains the characteristics of the one above, losing the specific representation of the cross, in order also to identify it more simply as a thoroughfare. taking advantage of the 70 metres of existing land surrounding the paved area of the parvis, the intention was to create a garden in a place where there was little greenery, little more in fact than a broken line of decayed common box hedging. the linear development made it possible to plant some cercis siliquastrum, a deciduous plant which can reach 8 m in height, has a small trunk and can grow in direct sunlight. account was taken of the physical characteristics of the plant’s appearance and growth, as well as its ornamental effect with the passing of the seasons: for its decorative appearance during months when it bears blossom, which is prolific when most vegetation is bare; for its light and delicate higher parts with light green heart-shaped leaves which, especially after the blossom, restores a sensation of lightness; for the long-lasting leaves and fruit. the lighting of the parvis is achieved using cubo lamps on corten steel poles positioned along the sides of the steps, made up of elements with diffused light optics which are trained on the parvis and particularly on the steps. visually unobtrusive, their structure and colour blend in well with the buildings of the church and the parvis and evoke the trunks of trees and the wooden doors. the lights visually accentuate the church’s central axis, drawing the eye towards the central door, the symbol of christ. they create a soft, warm light, in keeping with the lavarosa slabs of the pavement. the evening and nighttime lighting produce a vibrant play of light and shadow on the steel slatted railings. along the façade four m3 lights built into the pavement and two cubo medium corten lights mounted on stakes provide a balanced intensity illumination of the front of the church and the side apses. a security element too, the light visually identifies the church as a point of reference for the parish community.