Arcade.dia

The proposal is a careful response to the existing Romanesque church and its surrounding towers. If one way to understand the Romanesque church is to read it as a horizontal extrusion with a number of self-same units from one side to the other, our project can be interpreted as the repetition of structural units bifurcated and distorted by the two existing towers on-site. This formal gesture naturally divides the program into two parts. Public programs (including shopping, social activity spaces, and dining) nest between the church and the two towers, while private programs like dormitories and other supportive facilities (kitchen, laundry, restrooms) are placed in the other branch with views of the picturesque Tuscan landscape.

The new addition turns the journey of pilgrimage into a climax as it creates a unique experience for visitors. The first thing they see when climbing up the hill is the new facade, made of wood and glass, reminiscent of the front door of the Romanesque church. The facade of the new addition is a cadenza with a sense of transparency, allowing visitors to see through it to the other side from the exterior, as if warmly welcoming pilgrims and visitors into the spacious public space inside.

After checking in at the reception desk, pilgrims can use the ramp or elevators if accommodated upstairs. On the ground floor, besides the dining and lounge space, they also share a patio with panoramic scenery. The polycarbonate facade of the new addition reflects the surrounding landscape, blurring the boundary between inside and outside, man-made and nature. From a distance, the facade allows the new addition to blend into and become part of the beautiful landscape, reducing its impact on the context.