Nativity Church

At a glance

Project by: Pascal Arquitectos
Location: Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico

Preview image

Nativity Church (Pascal Arquitectos)

© Pascal Arquitectos

Project images

	Panoramic view © Pascal Arquitectos View project image
	Front view © Pascal Arquitectos View project image
	Interior © Pascal Arquitectos View project image
	View of the Altar © Pascal Arquitectos View project image
	Crypts © Pascal Arquitectos View project image
	Panoramic view at night © Pascal Arquitectos View project image
	Basement plan © Pascal Arquitectos View project image
	First floor plan © Pascal Arquitectos View project image
	Second floor plan - Choir © Pascal Arquitectos View project image
	Longitudinal cross section © Pascal Arquitectos View project image
	Transverse cross section © Pascal Arquitectos View project image

Architect's statement

This is going to be a Green sustainable building:

"design philosophy which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use — energy, water, and materials — while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal.[1] Though green building is interpreted in many different ways, a common view is that they should be designed and operated to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment." Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_building

The building is going to be surrounded by a double ventilated façade, in which the exterior cladding reflects the heat, behind there is a vapor barrier which allows the passage of air, so that the incidence of the sun is not direct into de building, and its also creates a meteorological barrier.
After de vapour barrier there is a first layer of durock wall, a second of tyvek, a third off mineral fibre wool, then comes the inner layer that could be sheetrock or the same finish as the façade if the budget allows.
With this passive system supported by the orientation of we can save in mechanical ventilation and conditioning equipment and energy, the building is naturally cold in summer and naturally hot in winter.

Ventilation

Together with the double ventilated façade, we have a natural ventilation system that functions by using the lower façade openings to let air in, and the mechanical opening the skylight windows to force the hot air out trough the top of the building.

Besides the double façade we have an interior metal greed that together with the air conditioning helps to build an air curtain, so we can have the whole perimeter conditioned creating an air barrier.

Materials

Three-dimensional grid 4ft by 4 ft order, coincidences and possibility of better materials because there is no waste.

The main façade is covered in corten pre oxidized steel, this is not a perfect material, perfection can only become imperfect, and imperfect can become ancient. New can become old. Local stone floors. Stained glass. Metal grids.

Local stone and wood will be used as finishes and for furniture and accessories.

Acoustical

To the Interior -Churches need some reverberation, a controlled echo. The double ventilated façade plus the mineral insulation controls noise from the outside to the inside and vice versa.

Lighting

Natural light does not come directly inside the building it is all filtered or reflected, the only direct light comes filtered through the stained glass facing north that is supported by twelve inch grid that creates shadows when the sun insides on it coming in the morning from the east and in the evening from the west.

The lower chapel perimeter is lighted through the perimeter glass roof, this is a fountain in the presbytery so the light comes showing the water patterns; the chapel gets also natural light through its roof that is the main church altar which is in translucent glass.

Artificial light does not mimic natural light, on the contrary it adds to the opposite, it scenic and dramatic, at night light comes out form the wall openings and the stained glass presbytery lighted.

The inner screen is back lighted form bellow and so that you see it cut from the main façade.

Landscape

Native xerographic plants, so there is no watering need, and to be coherent and pertinent with the location.

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