I went to a Catholic school for 9 years so I know a thing or two about being bored in a church.
That wasn’t the case in Santiago.
Yesterday we visited the Benedictine Monestary. I haven’t really found an interest in the architecture until this visit. This place was awesome (and that’s probably the first time I’ve correctly used that word).
The first thing I noticed was that’s there was zero artificial lighting. This was especially impressive because there were no direct views to the outside. It was natural lighting without feeling like forced natural lighting. This was the first time I was in awe about a specific design of a building. The entire room was light better than the church I grew up in, but it seemed more organic.
After exploring more of the building, I’ve fallen more and more in love with the place. I found a Chapel with a view that could not be painted better. Behind this Chapel was a perfect outline of the Andes. I am used to having a Chapel with a very good view of the middle school parking lot. This was a good change of pace.
After the Chapel was a garden. The garden looked like something out of a fairy tale. The gorgeous lime trees were moving with a breeze fresh from the mountains. If I were asked to create a better environment, I don’t know what I could change. I was soon asked to leave by a very nice man who spoke decent English.
Bottom line: I fell in love with a building and I get why all these architecture majors do this now.
This room is entirely lit by natural light.
This is the building that made me understand why all these architecture students go to studio for hours a day.