Parroquia La Veracruz

Lead Designers Ximena Munoz

Entry Description

Located in the Lastarria neighborhood in the historic center of Santiago, was burned during the social unrest that occurred in Chile in 2019. Despite being completely charred, the church's structure was not affected by the fire, so in March 2024 it was decided to reopen it not only to admit the faithful, but also to the city and its cultural events. A place steeped in history, faith, beauty, and contradiction was returned to Santiago.

The commission for the lighting project was conceived as a way to accommodate all the activities that would take place in the church, one that could transform the place and generate different experiences through light.

Two types of lighting were proposed: a linear grazing light that would illuminate the walls and vault, highlighting the church's spatiality and architectural elements and its burned texture. The decision was made to use 2500K for the plinth and RGB for the upper cornice. Tunable white was used on the altar to give it greater hierarchy and dynamism.

For spot lighting, the altar, the ambo, and the sculptures were installed on energized rails vertically on the wooden beams at a height of 9 meters, using closed-lens spotlights. For the hall, more open-lens spotlights were used on the same vertical rails.

The lighting project creates different light scenes, providing ambient perimeter lighting and focused lighting.

Sustainability Approach

The project was commissioned as a temporary solution while resources for a permanent restoration are secured. However, these timescales can be extremely slow. Therefore, the project is approached in a simple and minimally invasive manner. The project's sustainability is seen as a way to breathe life into a space that could otherwise be unusable. It is to sustain the community spirit that thrives in spaces of encounter and introspection such as these.