La Capilla
The project "La Capilla" was born as a response to the opportunity to transform a former multipurpose hall—affected by various pathologies—belonging to “La Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón” in Granada. The renovation aimed to create a space for prayer, reflection, and the celebration of small Eucharistic gatherings and meetings.
IDEA
The space is conceived as one of those secret corners within the city, so common in Granada. The atmosphere created—this "non-place"(1)—invites visitors to introspection, distancing themselves from the everyday to immerse in an environment of silence and peace. The chapel becomes not only a physical refuge but also an emotional and spiritual one—a space that opens a door to serenity. This project is not only a place for prayer but also a space where those who inhabit it may find a corner of calm and disconnection—a necessary pause.
SECRET CORNERS OF GRANADA
Granada hides, within the fabric of its historic city, an intimate geography of secret places. Its layout—heir to the Andalusian world, labyrinthine, organic, and unexpected—leads to a succession of discoveries: narrow alleys that suddenly open into quiet squares; stairways that lead to improvised viewpoints; passages that connect interior courtyards, hidden fountains, and walls covered in bougainvillea. Granada resists being fully known; it reveals itself slowly—not to those who pass by, but to those who stroll. This project seeks to become part of this network of secret places in the city.
THE “NON-PLACE” AS REFUGE
In its original definition, Marc Augé described the “non-place” as a space of transit—lacking identity, history, or connection. However, there is a more intimate and gentle reading: the non-place as an ethereal space, an interstice in the urban fabric where time seems suspended.
Far from the urban noise, from the symbolic saturation of monuments or the everyday, the non-place can serve as a refuge for stillness and contemplation. Places that do not demand belonging but offer respite. Places with no fixed identity, but full of potential.
ACCESS
Access is through a small secondary wooden door with a pointed arch, located at one end of the front façade of the church, facing Gran Vía de Colón. It leads to a narrow, dark corridor, lined with a domestic-style tiled dado up to mid-height, enhancing the sense of intimacy.
This secretive quality of space was particularly compelling, and it was decided that all interventions should highlight it. For this reason, we chose not to intervene in this threshold.
TRANSITION
The antechamber functions as a transitional buffer space. With its restrained height and domestic scale, it provides an intermediate pause that prepares the visitor—both physically and emotionally—for the shift in atmosphere. It is not yet a sacred space, but the city has already been left behind. This extended threshold ensures that the transition is not abrupt but unfolds gently. In this space, the stained-glass window offers a veiled glimpse of what lies ahead—a subtle preview of the secret space beyond.
THE CHAPEL
The chapel is conceived using very few elements to create a unified space. The intention is not so much to construct a physical place but to evoke an abstract atmosphere that transcends the material. It is defined by a single vaulted space, reminiscent of ecclesiastical naves, acting as a blanket or veil that envelops, protects, and shelters the interior. The floor is finished with porcelain stoneware symbolizing the earthly, which gently climbs up the walls, merging with the ceiling—drawing a visual line that frames and emphasizes key elements of the room. This fusion of earth and sky, of the natural and the symbolic, creates a sense of harmony, balance, and serenity.
There is also an intention to create a sense of warmth and shelter within a large space. The design is completed with a large abstract stained glass window (or interpretation of one), acting as both a partition and the door to the chapel. This stained glass casts colored light onto the deliberately homogeneous atmosphere.
Within the space, three elements are emphasized: the cross with the tabernacle, an existing painting, and the altar—also designed by the studio as a pure, heavy prism, evoking a carved stone that gently levitates and slides over the floor. These elements, highlighted in a simple yet intentional way, offer a symbolic and serene experience.
Various lighting scenes are created to allow different nuances within the atmosphere, adapting to the space’s different uses.
The space or atmosphere created—this "non-place"—invites visitors to introspection, encouraging them to step away from their daily reality and immerse themselves in silence and peace. The chapel becomes a refuge not only physical, but also emotional and spiritual—a place that opens a door to serenity. This project is not just a place for prayer; it is a space where one can find calm and disconnection, a much-needed pause.
(1) The "non-place" is a concept coined by French anthropologist Marc Augé in his work Non-Places: Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity (1992). It refers to those contemporary spaces characteristic of supermodernity, where identity, lasting relationships, and a sense of belonging are not generated.
