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The Church of Our Lady of Suffrage and Saint Augustine of Canterbury: pure volumes that mend the city
Along Via Casilina, the ancient Roman road that once linked Rome to Capua, stands this place of worship. Designed by Francesco and Carlo Berarducci and built between 1992 and 1998, it is far more than a church. It is an attempt to mend a corner of the city, giving shape and identity to a neighbourhood marked by a steep change in ground level.
A design that conquers the slope
Here every choice has a reason. The sloping ground, rather than being an obstacle, becomes the very idea behind the project: the various functions are arranged over several levels, yet remain gathered within a single, harmonious design. Beside the church, a long building hosts the activities of the community, while from the lowest point of the complex a striking stairway rises towards the church square. Accompanying the climb is a rhythmic sequence of pillars that plays with light and shadow, lending depth to the whole route.
Closed without, open within
The church is born from the meeting of simple, pure forms – the cube and the cylinder – which give it a sharp, essential appearance. Its plan traces a cross with equal arms, set within a perfect square. All around, great walls enclose the sacred space: seen from outside, the church appears compact and self-contained, almost a silent fortress. And yet two of the four corner towers do not touch the ground, and through those openings light enters and crosses the interior. It is a place that, once the threshold is crossed, reveals its most intimate side.
