Montepulciano Cathedrala living icon
The adaptation of Montepulciano Cathedral is enhance the building’s dual role as the icon of the local church and a central gathering point for the community. For this reason, its primary objective is to improve the liturgical experience while keeping its evocative power in quieter moments.
The new design respects the historical significance of the space retaining the altar and other key traditional elements. At the same time, we introduced a contemporary aesthetic that frees the space for ease of movement, fosters active participation and inclusivity, and ensures the connection of all the present with the ongoing rituals.
The lines of the new presbytery are created by placing its three key poles in dialogue with the baptismal font and the assembly. The new altar, ambo, and cathedra are designed in collaboration with the artist Edoardo Piermattei and fit into the context while standing out thanks the materials used.
Every new element rises from the cooperation between art and architecture. They create a synergy with the liturgical experience, evoking the earth tones of the surrounding Tuscan landscape and the rise of nature from the ground, to become luminous and inhabited by the divine.
ALTARA monolithic slab, crossed by a vein of gold, serves as the focal point of the presbytery. Its design, in chromatic harmony with the floor and the Assumption Altarpiece, creates a sense of unity with the surroundings. It emphasizes simplicity and purity while allowing all the movements required in celebrations.
AMBONPlaced on the podium, the ambo acts as a threshold between the presbytery and the assembly, from which the Word is proclaimed. It ensures both practical access for the reader and a prominent position for important rites, such as the placement of the Paschal candle, and the arrangement of the Lectionary and Gospel Book supports an appropriate posture for the reader and homilist.
CHAIR AND SEATThe chair, in chromatic continuity with the altar and the ambo, is discreet but visible, allowing the bishop to easily preside over the ritual actions.
Montepulciano Cathedral
Liturgical adaptation
CodeMASProgramPublic, ReligiousPlaceMontepulcianoYear2024DesignPlaC architectureDesign teamIlaria Ariolfo, Andrea Alessio, Davide Barreri, Marta Grignani, Alberto De VirgiliisConsultantsMichele Cerruti But, Edoardo Piermattei, Don Marco GalloClientDiocesi di Montepulciano-Chiusi-PienzaStatusCompetition
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