e|348 arquitectura: santa ana chapel, portugal

e|348 arquitectura: ‘santa ana chapel’, portugalimage © fernando guerraall images courtesy of e|348 arquitectura

located about 20 kilometers south of porto in the small town of canedo with many valleys and mesas, portuguese firm e|348 arquitectura has completed the ‘santa ana chapel’ on a wedge site surrounded by a very traditional vernacular and an almost untouched natural beauty. simplicity and originality are key components to match the history and aesthetic of the landscape. an L-shape typography was chosen to leave designed space on the exterior in the form of contemporary stone steps and courtyard. the traditional masonry construction is covered in chapisco, a traditional portuguese finish whereby a special concrete mix is skillfully applied to a wall or roof sealing any cracks in the brickwork but also giving the rounded structure a strong texture, painted white to contrast the environment.

sitting next to the old structuresimage © fernando guerra

upon entering the west-facing entrance framed in a slender steel frame, one is faced a small ante-chapel with saint ana. upon continuation, the 30-person nave opens up with an inclined roof plane held up by natural timber crossbeams focusing the attention to the altar. on the opposite end, a screen wraps around to hide a small restroom. small rectangular openings in the partitions pixelate the curved walls to illuminate the interior with an almost glowing effect. on the broadest wall facing east, a void in the shape of a cross decorates the otherwise vast expanse of white. a small wooden staircase on the opposing wall leads to a block of exposed concrete that serves as a small balcony to the outside that may be used as a small theater over the open courtyard and steps.

inclined roof line with a small balcony facing the exteriorimage © fernando guerra

amidst a traditional lifestyleimage © fernando guerra

a stone staircase and courtyard serve as a small theaterimage © fernando guerra

chapisco finishing method gives a strong natural textureimage © fernando guerra

stone steps double as seating spaceimage © fernando guerra

pixelated openings glow from interior lightimage © fernando guerra

entranceimage © fernando guerra

saint ana in the pre-chapel roomimage © fernando guerra

interior naveimage © fernando guerra

white walls accented with wooden roof beams and floorboardsimage © fernando guerra

image © fernando guerra

(left) a concrete block leads to the small balcony(right) view from the balconyimage © fernando guerra

view of altar from balconyimage © fernando guerra

contemporary crooked stair stepsimages © fernando guerra

image © fernando guerra

illuminated at nightimage © fernando guerra

glowing interior lightimage © fernando guerra

image © fernando guerra

site plan

floor plan / level 0

elevation

elevation