Church of San Martin
The Church of San Martin is a place for worship. It is a public building intended to promote self-reflection and also welcome the participation of the community. It was important however to first know the people of the town and the place they live.
San Martin de las Canas is located in the Mexican state of Jalisco. It is home to approximately 800 inhabitants. This small town was originally a colonial hacienda before the Mexican Revolution. Over time, construction has erased the structure of the hacienda. The formation of the town is now strictly based on the land.
The wood skin of the church is held by thin steel members that latch on to the building’s main structure. The skin can minimize the heat that could otherwise be accumulated on the outer walls. A cavity between the skin and the main structure harnesses the heat and is vented out naturally.
Materials feel, smell, look, and even sound differently from one another. “The aroma of material, the almost palpable presence of masonry as the body senses its own confinement; the momentum of an induced gait and relative inertia of the body as it traverses the floor; the echoing resonance of our own footfall” (Towards a critical regionalism p.29). Each material has a distinct presence from another, and it goes further than just touch or sight. For example, there are various kinds of woods that each give off a different aroma. The sounds of spaces also change due to the materials that make up the space. Sound in a room made of concrete will produce a different echo than in a room constructed of wood. These alternating sounds can also change the perception of the size of the room. Through the precise usage of material, the designer can ultimately make a room seem larger than it really is.
The church of San Martin is a porous building. The wood slots allow for light to filter through while the concrete planes block out the sun completely. Throughout the day, lighting conditions within the church change. The calligraphy of the building’s exterior is displayed on the floor of the chapel as the sun continues to change position in the sky. Light is also an integral aspect to the catholic faith. God is symbolized as the light. Seeing the light coming through the building symbolizes God’s presence.
