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The Church of St Charles Borromeo in Fonte Laurentina: Contemporary Architecture in the Southern Outskirts of Rome
The Church of San Carlo Borromeo is located in Fonte Laurentina, in the Castel di Leva district, on the southern outskirts of Rome. Inaugurated in 2010, it is the work of the Milan firm Monestiroli Architetti Associati. Antonio Monestiroli, Tommaso Monestiroli and Massimo Ferrari won the 2005 competition organised by Opera Romana per la Preservazione della Fede. It is a significant example of contemporary sacred architecture in the capital.
The Tower as an Urban Landmark
The distinguishing feature of the church is the tower of the presbytery, rising well above the roof of the nave. It functions both as a bell tower and as a skylight: zenithal light enters from above, and projects the pattern of the masonry grid onto the wall behind the altar — a calculated rather than decorative effect. In a residential district devoid of landmarks, the tower asserts itself as a signal visible from afar.
The Parish Complex
The almost square liturgical hall develops around the presbytery tower. The ceiling is flat, at 8 metres in height, supported by masonry partitions, with a series of skylights. The lighting is entirely zenithal. Alongside the church, an L-shaped two-storey wing houses the parish offices, catechesis rooms, the sacristy and the rectory, all organised around a C-shaped courtyard that opens towards the parvis. The interior and exterior cladding is in tufa blocks, a choice that harks back to Roman building tradition.
