Chiostro Illuminato Installation
Chiostro Illuminato Installation
STUDIO TEPHRA
ARCHITECTS
Studio Tephra
LEAD TEAM
Mathieu Nouhen, Fabrice Henry
PHOTOGRAPHS
Mathieu Nouhen
AREA
36 M²
YEAR
2024
LOCATION
Italy
CATEGORY
Pavilion, Small Scale
Text description provided by architect.
In the dance of wind and light, the Chiostro Illuminato weaves a new connection between earth and spirituality.
This modest microarchitecture, nestled near the Convent of Mount Illuminato, embodies the Franciscan principles of simplicity and mindful connection to nature.
Drawing inspiration from Saint Francis's miracle of restoring sight to a blind girl, it creates a transformative experience through minimal intervention.
The installation honors Franciscan frugality through its essential elements: a humble wooden colonnade and simple jute walls that ripple with the surrounding fields.
This deliberate restraint in materials speaks to Saint Francis's teachings on living in harmony with creation. The visitor's experience unfolds in three stages.
The project metamorphoses at twilight, when Italian light tints the walls orange, forming a refuge where light, freshness, and nature intertwine.
First, an entrance that gently transforms visual perception through the humble fabric filters; then a contemplative journey around the central patio, where wind animates the space; finally, a revealing exit toward the Lunano landscape, reflecting both the historical miracle and the Franciscan appreciation for natural beauty.
This sensitive reinterpretation of the traditional cloister creates a new reading of religious heritage, where spirituality and sensoriality merge in a poetic dialogue with the environment.
Like the Franciscan tradition itself, the design finds richness in simplicity and divine presence in the natural world.
Poetry shines through every modest detail: wind sculpting the canvases, light transforming throughout the day, the permanent dialogue with the surrounding wheat fields.
Architecture thus becomes a bridge between past and present, between sacred and nature, all while honoring the Franciscan ethos of finding profound meaning in the most elemental aspects of creation.
