HomeArchitectureThe Chapel of Silence near Brescia

The Chapel of Silence near Brescia

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The Chapel of Silence is the tiny laic chapel designed by Studio Associates in Botticino, in the surroundings of Brescia, for a local association that deals with teenagers with mental disabilities and socialization problems.

 The project consists of a black contemplative structure located between the forest and the vineyards, built with a participatory approach together with a group of selected students.

The building gives a sense of abstraction which comes from the material selected for the project, that is painted-black wood; moreover, the simple shape of the building, provided with a pitched roof, seems to be fluctuating given that it is perched on a slightly smaller base than the building itself.

Another important element of the chapel is the first monolithic piece of Botticino marble  placed next to the entrance: it has a triangular cavity on top made to collect rainwater.

The interior space is divided in two main rooms: the first has a lower ceiling and a small squared window-frame with a view on the forest, while the second room is  wider and its shortest side is only closed by a curtain, hanging on a portal, cantilevering towards the slope: this side faces the second white monolith, which stands against the green backdrop of the forest.

A place dominated by silence and nature, in the heart of Northern Italy.