Vicens + Ramos Architecture Studio

Ponferrada Church

Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens

PONFERRADA CHURCH

Vicens + Ramos

ARCHITECTS
Vicens + Ramos

LOCATION
Ponferrada, spain

CATEGORY
Churches

YEAR
2010

PHOTOGRAPHS
Pablo Vicens

“Joined with the artist eye, new life, new form, new color. Out of the sea of sounds the life of music, Out of the slimy mud of words, out of the sleet and hail of verbal imprecisions, approximate thoughts and feelings, words that have taken the place of thoughts and feelings, There spring the perfect order of speech, and the beauty of incantation.

Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens
Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens

The work of creation is never without travail Light Light The visible reminder of Invisible Light.”

The fundamental premise of the project has been the faithful implementation of all the functional and symbolic requirements demanded by the new provisions adopted by the liturgical reform. The chapel is presented as the protagonist of the set. It is located at the point of maximum visibility and accessibility, facing the Rose Garden.

Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens
Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens

The church’s main space is designed primarily as a meeting place for the joyous celebration of the Sacrifice. Thus, the architectural layout emphasizes community and the festive character of the reunion, joined by symbolic references to rich traditions.

The central part of the structure is adapted to contemporary liturgical characteristics, combined with the traditional cross layout. This effectively makes focus to the altar, Holy See and Ambon, and visible from any point.

Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens
Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens
Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens

An important topic of study taken in consideration here was the claim of finding an architectural arrangement that combines the requirements of the Blessed Sacrament chapel, as a place for Eucharistic tranquility. Here again the recurrence types tested in the long and rich tradition of Christian architecture has proved to be fruitful.

Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens

Reference to the Aragon altarpieces of the late-Gothic and Renaissance-such as the Basilica del Pilar, Damian Forment, or La Seo, the Cathedral of Teruel, Huesca Cathedral, San Pablo de Zaragoza, etc-or Baroque altarpieces-keeping.

Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens
Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens

Thus, the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, used daily, provides high enough levels of the sanctuary to allow the sanctuary to be visible from any point of the chapel, without interfering in the liturgical ceremonies. Under the hood is available to the sacristy. The north street is the direct access, which is higher than the corner of the main entrance of the temple.

Seven large skylights scatter colored light inside the temple, giving different qualities to the space. The skylights have each the images of the seven sacraments by which the Church illuminates the life of the faithful and given grace. At the entrance of the temple, on the porch, another skylight combines the bell with the sign of the Cross, and serves as a benchmark in the community.

Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens
Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens

Building on the morphology and configuration of the terrain, the ancient carbon deposit had to be excavated in their entirety. The parish center and priestly houses are two floors, one access to the line of the street, and the other the low level of excavation. Gardens at this level make it down every area; they are accessible from the premises.  The parish center structure is reinforced with concrete and ceramic forges, while the temple is resolved with metal trusses. The entire assembly is coated with a veneer of rough concrete pieces.


Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens
Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens
Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens
Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens
Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens
Ponferrada Church
© Pablo Vicens


Ponferrada Church
Plan
Ponferrada Church
Plan
Ponferrada Church
Plan
Ponferrada Church
Plan

Ponferrada Church
Plan


Ponferrada Church
Elevation
Ponferrada Church
Elevation
Ponferrada Church
Elevation
Ponferrada Church
Elevation


Ponferrada Church
Section
Ponferrada Church
Section

Vicens + Ramos Architecture Studio
T +34 915 210004
Vicens + Ramos Architecture Studio
C. del Barquillo, 29, Centro, 28004 Madrid, Spain