The new Santa Barbara parish complex
The new Santa Barbara parish complex in Licata, Agrigento, designed by architects Francesco Lipari, Lillo Giglia, and Giuseppe Conti, and winner of the two-phase invited competition promoted by the Archdiocese of Agrigento and the Santa Barbara Parish, funded by the Italian Episcopal Conference through the “8xmille” funds, takes shape as a true campus of faith: a welcoming, permeable space of intense spiritual strength, capable of engaging with the history and artistic identity of the place.
The analysis of the site and the community’s desire to open the complex to the city guided the functional layout of the project. The catechetical classrooms, the parish hall, and the rectory are located in the north-east portion of the site, naturally generating the space dedicated to the liturgical heart of the complex, composed of the main hall, weekday chapel, sacristy, and bell tower. Positioned strategically between Via Maragliano and Via Incandela, this core ensures maximum visibility and urban recognizability.
The selection of materials and colors stems from a careful evaluation of texture, form, economic sustainability, and the ability to integrate with the surrounding context. The architecture presents itself as a natural extension of the outdoor space, establishing a perceptual and material continuity between interior and exterior.
The liturgical hall, oriented eastward and organized around a Greek cross layout, appears as an essential and dynamic space capable of expressing both solemnity and transcendence. Inspired by the simplicity evoked in the encyclical Laudato si’, its form originates from the primary volume of a chapel, which becomes the generative matrix of the new architecture. Inside, the atmosphere is serene and luminous: the whiteness of the plaster enhances natural light and makes the spaces of worship immediately legible, fostering contemplation and participation. Environmental comfort is ensured by the geometric configuration of the complex and the system of voids, which activate natural air circulation. The park, shaded by volumes and vegetation, helps to store cooler air, improving the microclimate of the interior spaces.
