The remains of the old, almost completely ruined chapel provided the bases for the planimetric layout. The height was the consequence of the observation of dimensional relationships of some single nave Romanic chapels situated throughout the north of the country.
The new building is laid out as a pure volume in which episodes that express the content of the construction occur.
In terms of typology, the chapel re-uses some traditional architectural elements with special emphasis on the entrance porch and stairs leading to the belfry.
The tear which separates the walls from the roofing on two sides of the building provides light for the interior and frees the walls from their structural function in order to accentuate the remains of the old wall set into the new plastered plane.
The inscription set in a granite plaque breaks the monumental symmetry of the entrance, providing another fragment - a testament of the chapel's history.
Granite, wood and white plaster are the finishes used and it was these materials in particular that helped overcome the initial distrust of the "new building".
AUTHORS
FÁTIMA FERNANDES AND MICHELE CANNATÀ
SPECIALIZED PROJECTS
JESUÍNA NETO
LOCATION
CICOURO. PORTUGAL
CLIENT
ALTINO TORRÃO
BUILDER
CICOURO PARISH COUNCIL
PROJECT
1990
EXECUTION
1990 1992
PHOTOGRAPHY
CANNATÀ & FERNANDES
ALBERTO MUCCIACCIA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Capela a Cicouro in D'ARCHITETTURA Magazine, D'A, nº 8. Pag. 42 and 43
Capela de Cicouro in Jornal dos Arquitectos, nº 123. Pag. 32 to 35
M. Cannatà e F. Fernandes in Portogallo la Capela Votiva di Cicouro in ABITARE Magazine, nº 347. Pag. 96 and 97.
Capela de Cicouro in ESAP Notebooks Magazine, nº 2. Pag. 194 to 197
Capela de Cicouro in Arquitectura Portuguesa Contemporânea. 1999-2001 ASA Publishers. Pag. 538 to 549.
Fátima Fernandes in 4ª Exposição Nacional de Arquitectura Catalogue, A.A.P. Pag. 26
