Paris Church of Solace, Cordoba, Spain designed by Vicens+Ramos Arquitectos

The simple white exterior of the new Parish Church of Solace in Cordoba, Spain, designed by Vicens + Ramos, re-imagines traditional Christian architecture, stripping it back to its essentials, and innovatively combining the time honoured components of a church in an innovative, minimal form.

Cordoba is a city where history has been written in the architecture, and where this history can still be experienced, walked through and touched. The superb historic architecture and winding medieval streets of the Old City have been awarded UNESCO world heritage listing, with examples ranging from the Roman bridge that spans the city’s river to the Great Mosque of Cordoba, dating from the 8th century when the Moors occupied the area. In this city, where history can be traced through bricks and streets, the Parish Church of Solace speaks unmistakably and eloquently of our time, its ultramodern design adds to the architectural story of the ancient city.

The exterior of the Parish Church of Solace is a minimal white concrete prism. The only decoration is a simple silver cross. At one end the prism rises, comprising of both the church’s belltower and a skylight. The innovative design, which fuses the historically separate architectural components of a singular façade, light entrance and bell tower, ensures that the church is filled with natural light. The fluted openings at the base of the structure also fill the interior of the church with light. The north and west of the structure stand four meters from the boundary of the site and on the northern edge an English style garden has been planted. The courtyard is accessible to the public and also allows light and fresh air into the church – an important consideration in one of the hottest cities in Europe. The cool green of the garden is particularly vivid juxtaposed to the white expanse of the chapel.

The openings into the chapel don’t disrupt the simple, even stark, minimalism of the exterior of the church. They are more obvious inside, where they fill the church with a sense of sun and shadow, bands of light that seem to echo the regularity of the simple, white pews. The simple exterior doesn’t hint at the art filled interior in which the depth of blues, gold and black are juxtaposed to the stark white of the walls, which become an artwork themselves in the shifting play of light and shadow. Like the white, clean interior of an art gallery, the Parish Church of Solace clearly emphasises the significance of the contemporary religious art it houses.

For the architects, the final configuration of the space is a culmination of both the building itself, and the sacred art inside. Many artists have contributed to the church, and the architects aspired to a “unity of composition” which would allow the integration of the artworks. The simple interior accentuates the stunning art, and indeed the art of the altars, pulpits and ceiling has become a part of the structure itself.

While the clean, white walls of the main hall mirror the church’s exterior, the wall behind the altar is a gleaming expanse of tessellated gold squares. In front of this shining feature, the deep blue squares on the black of the altar and pulpit by Fernando Pagola looks like a precious jewel. Next to the altar is a free standing crucifix with the stylised figure of Christ, by Javier Martinez, balanced by another artwork, high on the wall behind.

The curved plane of the ceiling of the main hall, with its painted figures by Pablo and Jaime Ramos, unifies the space and diffuses the light, illuminating the entire interior. The architects describe the ceiling as a cloud, and it draws the eye heavenwards. The moody, dark, layered figures seem to be reaching towards the altar, almost as if they were swimming towards the front of the hall.

As well as a main hall, the church comprises of the Chapel of the Blessed, a basement, the presbytery, sacristy and chorus. In the Chapel of the Blessed, like the main hall, the wall behind the altar is a pattern of gold, but unlike in the main hall, the altar and pulpit themselves are also gold, their freeform, lava like surfaces, providing a sense of dynamism in the otherwise ordered interior. This is mirrored by the crucifix on the wall behind, by the same artist as the crucifix in the main hall.

The Parish Church of Solace is a beautiful piece of contemporary architecture. The building’s simplicity is an elegant and innovative reworking of traditional Christian architecture that is pleasingly apt in a city famous for its historical buildings. The evidence of Cordoba’s long history is in its architecture, and the Parish Church of Solace adds to this story, but more importantly, it is also an inspiring space for the parish congregation to gather and worship. +

PHOTOGRAPHY Estudio Vicens+ Ramos Arquitectos 

1. AN INSPIRATIONAL PLACE TO WORSHIP The minimalist white building is an innovative reworking of traditional aspects of church building.

2. The artworks in the main hall are evocative and stunningly beautiful against the simple walls, pews and floor.

3. The Chapel of the Blessed

4. Light and shadow play on the simple white pews through the fluted gaps in the exterior wall.

5. The exterior captures a soothing sense of simplicity.