Carrilho da Graça Arquitectos Lda

St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center

St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

ST. ANTONIO’S CHURCH & ST. BARTOLOMEU SOCIAL CENTER 

JLCG Arquitectos

CATEGORY
Churches

LOCATION
Portalegre, Portugal

ARCHITECTS
João Luís Carrilho da Graça

AREA
3050.0 m2

YEAR
2008

PHOTOGRAPHS
Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

BUILDINGS SHOULD BE SIMPLE AND WARM

Seen from the outside, the building appears as an elementary volume formed by its white surfaces.

St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

The main space is defined by the spatial continuity that takes us from the street and swifts us to the quartz stone, left naked.First the entrance portico.

First the entrance portico. Next the courtyard, with two ramps on both sides and the community centre sidewings. In the end, the church itself - unexpectedly transparent due to its glass walls

St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

Another patio creates a stage setting for the church room, composed by the existing stone, air, zenithal lights, water and plants. An exterior space open to contemplation.

The church’s assembly room is almost a square plan. The altar is also a square table. These static and centered forms allow us to feel, although being presided, that this celebration is performed by a group of willing people.

St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG

The extreme simplicity of the space, the architectural form and all the objects design, create a sense of “freedom” where the main characters are the people and the events. Architecture must stage the minimum in the most intense way.

St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
© Fernando Guerra | FG+SG


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St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
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St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
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St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
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St. Antonio’s Church & St. Bartolomeu Social Center
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Carrilho da Graça Arquitectos Lda
T +351 213 920200 F +351 213 950232
Carrilho da Graça Arquitectos Lda
R. Santo António à Estrela 31b, 1350-291 Lisboa, Portugal