Oratorio Colegio Northridge

In the courtyard of a school in the west of the city, we placed an oratory as the focal point of the main entrance. Thus, the students pass through it on a daily basis and integrate it naturally into their daily school life as a space of their own and close to them. Light was the main material for this project. We based ourselves on the golden ratio, so that all the elements have a relationship of thirds, and we used simple geometric shapes that were easy for the children to understand.

The fourteen-meter long by eight-meter wide space has a large entrance at the front and on one side that allows the courtyard to be integrated into the oratory and considerably increases its seating capacity. A pair of rectangular volumes, hanging suspended from the highest part, serve as the canopy that embraces and contains the prayer space, which is accentuated by a perimeter dome that bathes the entire space in zenithal light. The proportions and chiaroscuro help the visitor to find a serene and intimate atmosphere.