NEW CHURCH IN CIBENO DI CARPI
The Project for new church of Cibeno di Carpi has been encharged after a competition. The church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is located in a district that until 1950s was a rural area on the outskirts of Carpi. Today Cibeno is a residential area with the strong need for a new, larger church.
The site is a triangular lot near an industrial area, characterized by the presence of the ancient church southwards and, to the north, by the wall of the cemetery built in the 19th century and desecrated since 1960s. In between stands the oratory building. To the east there is a large lawn for recreational activities.
The winning project of the competition was revised to redefine the economic resources available after the earthquake that struck Emilia Romagna. The economic constraint was seized as an opportunity to think of a simple, sober building that did not flaunt unnecessary geometries of monumentality. The external character is marked by a minimal composition of few pure volumes, seeking a dialogue with the adjacent industrial landscape.
The church is located within the enclosure of the desecrated cemetery to build a space for the future of the community that bases its roots on its history. The walls isolate from the criticalities present on the outside creating a silent and welcoming environment. The eastern green area was kept free and unedited, achieving the goal of reducing land consumption.
The main horizontal volume finds an expression of verticality in the parallelepiped lantern that overlooks the presbytery, characterized by a skylight conveying abundant natural light inside the church. Outside the lantern is characterized by a metal façade cladding with a reinterpretation of Masaccio’s painting of the Holy Trinity, to which the church is dedicated. The motif is reproduced with a symbolic will in other portions of the façade.
The main facade has a significant overhang of the volume that creates an “L” shaped portico. The new churchyard is a slightly inclined surface paved with yellow granite, echoing the colors of the existing walls and creating a warm and welcoming space.
The ancient walls are restored keeping the traces of old tombstones, to guide the faithful on a path of meditation and introspection. The facade of the church, with its sober and silent character, is embellished with longitudinal golden inserts that represent, in analogy to the flames of Renaissance frescoes, the souls of the dead ascending to heaven.
The liturgical structure is traditional, characterized by a longitudinal axiality culminating in the presbyter; to the right, in a projecting volume that recalls the shape and proportion of a transept, a terraced space accommodates the choir.
The Marian image is housed in a dedicated chapel to the right of the main entrance, a precious space completely covered in gilded fir boards and abundantly lit from above.
The entire structure is characterized by simple materials enriched with surface treatments that make them unique.
Inside, the hammered concrete forms the backdrop to the presbytery and some backgrounds with large gilded fir wood tables embellish the space.
The sacred furnishings, designed with the contribution of the artist Manfred Alois Mayr, reinterpret the workmanship and scagliola plaster decorations typical of the local tradition.
