Both are civic center for small towns, structrally unique
Church of Christ the Worker Atlanta, Uruguay 1958-60
1. The church is Eladio Dieste's first architectural work, evolving from an initial contract for a simple vault in 1952. It is located in a formless village populated by agricultural and manual laborers. While the funds were very limited, he provided free service for this project and intended to build an aesthetically pleasing building with no more cost than a conventional one.
3. At floor level, the plan of the church is a simple rectangle, from which undulating walls rise to the maximum amplitude of their arcs. These thin but self-stabilizing walls carry continuous double-curvature vaults with tie-rods concealed in the almost-level troughs that are anchored in the brick edge-beams projected beyond the walls. These complex forms achieve a stunning simplicity as the walls and roof meet in a level plane.
3.2 Light is a compelling force on the interior of the church. The accent at the altar and the suffused light throughout the nave emanate from obscured origins. Only when one turn back, one will see the onyx openings and skylights on the walls near the entrance.
4. He embraced a rarely-used technique of reinforced brick. He use a material familiar to the poor agricultural workers who formed the congregation to create an effect normally reserved for expensive stone and stucco. How the undulating side wall meets the undulating roof was executed in great accuracy and carefulness.
5. The organization of the construction using simple, familiar materials and indigenous skill, elevated in application almost to the limits of perfection, has a spiritual quality that speaks directly to the ordinary working people of the congregation.
Vuoksenniska Church Imatra, Finland 1949-52
1. The Lutheran church was part of the Management Plan for the industrial community of Imatra to create a civic center.
2. The church in located in one of the many forests in Finland, so Aalto built three layers of shell to keep the interior away from the cold and damp characteristics of its surroundings.
3. The church consists of three consecutive halls which can be separated by sliding walls; this enables parts of the church to be used for parish activities during the week. The interior is provided with ample natural light, coming from huge windows on the side walls. The altar gets lateral light from side openings; the glowing white surfaces accentuate the sacredness of the three crosses.
4. Most of the structure is reinforced concrete, allowing a continuous frame spanning across three sections. The curved walls were designed for acoustic reasons – a speaker doesn’t need to use amplification when talking in this church. Among all the windows, only two panels of glass have the same size. The rich variations manifest his rejection of the ''universal'', and the cantilevered bell tower stood him out from the standardized industrialism vogued at the time.
5. This church is marked by a unique response to the aspirations of the client, to the anticipated character of human behavior and to the specific site.
Church of Christ the Worker Atlanta, Uruguay 1958-60
1. The church is Eladio Dieste's first architectural work, evolving from an initial contract for a simple vault in 1952. It is located in a formless village populated by agricultural and manual laborers. While the funds were very limited, he provided free service for this project and intended to build an aesthetically pleasing building with no more cost than a conventional one.
3. At floor level, the plan of the church is a simple rectangle, from which undulating walls rise to the maximum amplitude of their arcs. These thin but self-stabilizing walls carry continuous double-curvature vaults with tie-rods concealed in the almost-level troughs that are anchored in the brick edge-beams projected beyond the walls. These complex forms achieve a stunning simplicity as the walls and roof meet in a level plane.
3.2 Light is a compelling force on the interior of the church. The accent at the altar and the suffused light throughout the nave emanate from obscured origins. Only when one turn back, one will see the onyx openings and skylights on the walls near the entrance.
4. He embraced a rarely-used technique of reinforced brick. He use a material familiar to the poor agricultural workers who formed the congregation to create an effect normally reserved for expensive stone and stucco. How the undulating side wall meets the undulating roof was executed in great accuracy and carefulness.
5. The organization of the construction using simple, familiar materials and indigenous skill, elevated in application almost to the limits of perfection, has a spiritual quality that speaks directly to the ordinary working people of the congregation.
Vuoksenniska Church Imatra, Finland 1949-52
1. The Lutheran church was part of the Management Plan for the industrial community of Imatra to create a civic center.
2. The church in located in one of the many forests in Finland, so Aalto built three layers of shell to keep the interior away from the cold and damp characteristics of its surroundings.
3. The church consists of three consecutive halls which can be separated by sliding walls; this enables parts of the church to be used for parish activities during the week. The interior is provided with ample natural light, coming from huge windows on the side walls. The altar gets lateral light from side openings; the glowing white surfaces accentuate the sacredness of the three crosses.
4. Most of the structure is reinforced concrete, allowing a continuous frame spanning across three sections. The curved walls were designed for acoustic reasons – a speaker doesn’t need to use amplification when talking in this church. Among all the windows, only two panels of glass have the same size. The rich variations manifest his rejection of the ''universal'', and the cantilevered bell tower stood him out from the standardized industrialism vogued at the time.
5. This church is marked by a unique response to the aspirations of the client, to the anticipated character of human behavior and to the specific site.
