Shrine Of Our Lord Of Tula

This project is part of the reconstruction of México after the earthquake of September 2017.

The chapel occupies a simple cross plan, exactly the same as a basilica where the elevation, both for the altar and for the confessionals, is governed and defined by curves. In the case of the altar, a curved concrete wall at a height of 1.80 meters contains the ceremony, while an inclined plane allows the reflection of the sun and the shine of the floor to give a pleasant light character. At the same time, when it rains, this surface acquires an immaterial condition, thanks to the reflection of the water that, as it falls, builds an ephemeral mirror of the sky.

The section also plays an important role in the definition of the space. The space is determined by a simple roof, an umbraculum that allows the passage of air, as well as generating shade and shelter, supported at four points and unfurled as structural concrete arch on all four sides. The floor plan slopes down gradually from the outside to the inside, ensuring a shelter by becoming detached from the exterior and also the space´s possible use as an auditorium.

This relationship built through the section, the choice of the flooring and roofing materials, especially with exposed brickwork, creates a sensation of continuity that not only integrates the public space with the surroundings but also imbues an aura of warmth.

This project reflects our ideas of intermediate spaces, inside and outside, of ambiguous spaces, but made of specific elements. An architecture for the tropic.