However, the formwork for Milagrosa differs somewhat from that of Candela’s other shells. But this sculpture cannot be capricious and arbitrary, since one has to respond to the external laws of structural equilibrium.Ĭandela used a similar construction procedure to his other structures for Milagrosa, including the use of inverted umbrellas as the foundation for his forms. It’s about attaining an expressive interior space, a surrounding sculpture that one admires from the inside.
The interior of Milagrosa is the most beautiful part of the church because Candela insisted that while the exterior of a church is primarily for inviting people in, the interior is the crucial expressive feature of the building. In this respect, the church is genuinely Gothic. Candela was especially struck by the opportunity to design a church, because its single floor, great height, and particular function provided him with the chance to create “something transcendent.” The architect wanted to push the boundaries of reinforced concrete to its limits. The plan is very unpretentious, and the only innovation made by the architect was the Structure. The church committee wanted a traditional design (Gothic style) and did not suspect they might be getting something else until the forms were up. The Structure of the church is a combination of warped surfaces, all of them paraboloids with the usual thickness of 1 1/2 inches or less except for the small side chapel. The construction of Milagrosa was completed in ten months. – Felix Candela 1 Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church Photographs Religious architecture is generally about buildings of only one floor and great height, whose function, very simply, is perfectly defined beforehand, and the structure is the predominant element of its composition. Photographs: © Lola Alvarez Bravo, © Felix Candela.Area: 1,533 square meters (16,500 square feet).Location: Narvarte, Mexico City, Mexico.Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church Technical Information The monks who had commissioned the project favored a Gothic building and reportedly did not realize the design’s modern style until after construction had started. Completed in 1955, the “ Iglesia de la Medalla Milagrosa,” or Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church, was designed by Felix Candela in a neighborhood of Mexico City surrounded primarily by low residential buildings.
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