juan carlos salas’ tanatorium filters sunlight through concrete chimney
photography by diaporama

 

 

 

funneling a concentrated stream of light into the otherwise minimal and concrete interior, the ‘tanatorium’ by juan carlos salas is a building ‘formed by a perforated enveloping is born from earth to protect humans when they say goodbye to their deceased people’. sited by a pine woodland in the outskirts of zaragoza, spain, the concrete entity features a light-well installed with metal louvers allowing sunlight to subtly filter inside.

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the tanatorium (a morgue) is a peaceful space for relatives to say goodbye to the deceased

 

 

 

the building is purposely orientated to open-up in diagonal direction to the sun, the chimney channels an atmosphere which visually evokes the feeling of time passing– a poetic feature which at the same time,encourages a movement in light and shadow created by the louver’s pattern. constructed of white concrete and embellished with details such as galvanized and pre-laquered corten, the building is accessed through the west side at the end of the pedestrian path and leads into the south-facing hall space which diverts into the funeral parlors and services. 

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the materiality of the building is white concrete, finished in several superficial treatments

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the metallic louvers draws sunlight inside projecting outlines and references the feeling of time passing

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the large light well in the ceiling has been installed with metal louvers

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the funeral parlor and other services branch off from the main hall

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interior room

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the entrance is based on the west at the end of a pedestrian path coming from the urban area

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the building is sited by a forest of pine trees

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the concrete cavern opens in diagonal direction to the sun, ‘worshiping the primitive god’

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the tanatorium/morgue at night

 

 

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project info:

 

architect: juan carlos salas
designer: david leciñena
building engineers: javier muñoz, sergio calle
structural engineer: jose miguel escosa
graphic design: bogart y bacall
project manager: ignacio villalba
general contractor: solceq
area: 196 m2
cost: 230.838,02 €