A black chapel between the forest and the vineyards

Studio associates designed a laic chapel in Botticino, near Brescia, for a local association that deals with the socialization issues of teenagers with mental disabilities. The project, named Chapel of Silence, is a contemplative building that lies amid a forest and a vineyard. The construction has been possible with a participatory approach, together with a group of selected students.

The choice of the material, which is painted-black wood, gives to the building an abstract feel. The whole body of the building – an elemental shape with a pitched roof – seems to be fluctuating given that it is perched on a slightly smaller base than the building itself. A first monolithic piece of Botticino marble is placed next to the entrance and 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. The second room is considerably 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.

The Chapel of Silence by Studio associates, 2017