Church San Giovanni Battista
Switzerland
Mario Botta
1996
The Project
Mario Botta is a Swiss architect born in Mendrisio, Ticino. He is 77 years old and has a variety of eye catching and award winning designs behind him. He has his own set of principles which he follows and believes to be paramount in the design of buildings.Some of which include light, geometry and symmetry, respect of the great past and importance of site. The combination and inclusion of each of these aspects in his works makes for simple yet great design.In particular Botta is known for his work on churches and museums. The project I will be exploring is Church San Giovanni Battista. This church is located in the small Swiss village Mongo in the Maggia valley. An avalanche in the Swiss alps destroyed the previous 17th century church and left this small community in need of a new sacred space. Botta, who lived locally was commissioned to build a new church in its place by the Mongo Church Reconstruction Association.
Location
The Maggia Valley despite being so close to the Swiss Alps has a climate that is very similar to the mediterranean climate. This is largely due to its low altitude. The setting of this church is idyllic with a small amount of traditional houses surrounding it and alpine forests and snow capped peaks as its backdrop. Above I have included images that show this church in context.The church is orientated east and the roof peaks up in this direction. The new church was constructed on the footprint of the previous building so it is very modest. The interior only seats 15 people and totalling 123m2..To avoid crowding and an uncomfortable space Botta included an outdoor seating area that encourages congregation and conversation. This creates a threshold and a hierarchy of spaces as one moves from the outside to this semi public outdoor space and then inside to this enclosed dimension. One can envision this journey and the calming of the mind that takes place as you pass from the hustle and bustle of life to a calmer seating area until your mind is clear and you are ready to worship in this sacred space. A similar journey on the way out eases you back into the everyday. The small site was not the only issue that presented itself with this location. One of the biggest concerns with this site was the possibility of a second avalanche. This meant that a conventional church design would have been extremely hard to achieve because large windows and thin walls would not be able to withstand the force of an avalanche. Botta came up with an innovative way of allowing daylight to enter the building without jeopardising the structural components of this build by having the light pour in from above. This site benefits from being in a remote location. The church is surrounded by only a few other buildings all of which are relatively low rise. The sun path diagrams I created below illustrate on both the winter and summer solstice how the sun curves around the church. As you can see the sun runs into very little obstacles that would block its light
Light and Shadow
The main structure of the building as illustrated below is a cylindrical shape with a sloping roof. This sloping roof is made up of a series of glass panels. These panels fill the space with zenithal light making links back to the great churches of Europe. The cylindrical shape and the high roof creates a bright and airy space. This is in contrast with the heavy, grounding materials used in the build. The walls are a mix of locally sourced grey riveo granite and white peccia marble. These materials are sturdy and rigid but the juxtaposition between them and the oculus above creates a dramatic space. The image below highlights the basic structure of the building.
What makes this space so spectacular is the clever use of light to create a sacred space. The light that pours in through the panels is cast across the space in a series of curved lines separated by their shadows. The roof is angled so that it is higher in the east and lower in the west as shown above in the section. As the sun moves across the sky, the stripes of light bend and curve around the space. The granite and marble mimic the light and shadow cast by the oculus and create an experience that is felt from all sides at once. The circular shape lends itself to this experience. Despite the small site. Botta has still managed to create a hierarchy within this space. One enters this area of worship in the west. The church has an opening that is recessed back from the main space. Once inside, the entrance is disguised by a thick column. The purpose of this column is not only structural but to omit the light that may enter from the entrance. Directly opposite the entrance is the Altar and archway. This archway is recessed back into the wall to create a dark form. In a room filled with zenithal light our eyes are drawn to this dark form conveniently placed when the priest would be situated.
The Architect
Mario Botta studied under architects such as LeCorbusier and Louis Khan both of which create buildings which have a strong regard for daylight and its use as a feature. Botta highlights the importance of light in his philosophies outlined on his website. Botta believes light creates rhythm and balance and overall “completes the architectural project”. Light is not an afterthought for Botta it is a deciding factor in design. The essence upon which a building is created. In this project in particular he views windows and opening not as viewpoints for people to gaze out but an opportunity for light to pour in. This principle can be seen in many of his other works, most notably the museum of modern art in San Francisco where a similar cylindrical shape with a glass room is found.
References
PHILOSOPHY [Internet]. Botta.ch. 2020 [cited 25 October 2020]. Available from: http://www.botta.ch/en/PRINCIPI
San Giovanni Battista Church in Switzerland byMario Botta | ArchEyes [Internet]. ArchEyes. 2020 [cited 26 October 2020]. Available from: https://archeyes.com/san-giovanni-battista-church-in-switzerland-mario-botta/
Climate and average monthly weather in Maggia (Canton of Ticino), Switzerland [Internet]. World Weather & Climate Information. [cited 2020Oct26]. Available from: https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,maggia-canton-of-ticino-ch,Switzerland
Botta M. Church San Giovanni Battista by Mario Botta: Church architecture / community centres [Internet]. Architonic. Architonic; 2016 [cited 2020Oct26]. Available from: https://www.architonic.com/en/project/mario-botta-church-san-giovanni-battista/5103575
San Giovanni Battista Church in Switzerland byMario Botta [Internet]. ArchEyes. 2020 [cited 2020Oct26]. Available from: https://archeyes.com/san-giovanni-battista-church-in-switzerland-mario-botta/
FutureLearn. Mario Botta and his masters [Internet]. FutureLearn. [cited 2020Oct26]. Available from: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/mario-botta-architect/0/steps/40738
