Square modules define the Parroquia de San Fernando’s innovative design. This church stands as a testament to architectural vision and artistic collaboration. The Parroquia de San Fernando is located on Avenida Alberto Alcocer in Madrid.
Let’s delve into the story of its creation. In 1969, Luis Cubillo de Arteaga conceived the preliminary design. This happened after the Archbishopric rejected Emilio Chinarro Matas’s initial project. Cubillo had begun collaborating with the Archbishopric a year prior. He designed the San Federico parish church. For San Fernando, he explored various layouts, seeking the best adaptation to liturgical renewal after the Second Vatican Council.
Cubillo ultimately chose a square plan. He positioned the presbytery at one of its vertices. This solution became a recurring theme in his religious architecture projects of the early 1970s. However, the Parroquia de San Fernando had a unique feature. Its roof descended toward the presbytery. This created a powerful sense of concentration on the altar. Zenithal white light amplified this effect. A methacrylate cross and a Christ figure by José Luis Sánchez seemed to float in the light.
Sánchez crafted all the imagery and liturgical furniture. He harmonized them with Cubillo’s architecture. Arcadio Blasco designed the magnificent stained-glass windows in the nave and baptistery. These elements combined to create a unified artistic vision.
The remaining parish facilities also followed the square module design. A comprehensive roof unified these modules. Its maximum slope lines rotated 45 degrees relative to the modules. The project’s evolution reveals the tension between liturgical functionalism and the architect’s formal interests. This tension became a defining characteristic of his architecture.
The resulting volumetry was attractive. It stood out in the building’s unique setting. The Parroquia de San Fernando is in a park surrounded by tall buildings. The prominence of the roofs was considered essential. The design process continued throughout construction. The original structure was modified. The facade bondings were refined. The bell tower was enriched with solutions previously tested elsewhere.
The property owner also requested modifications. These changes softened some of the original project’s more radical aspects. The Parroquia de San Fernando remains one of Cubillo’s most ambitious and notable religious architecture projects. You can find the church at Avenida Alberto Alcocer, 9. It is easily accessible via Metro Line 10 at Cuzco station. Bus lines 150, 11, and 40 also serve the area.