Year: 2009

Technical

This is going to be a Green sustainable building:

- The building is going to be surrounded by a double ventilated façade, in which the exterior cladding reflects the heat, behind there is a vapor barrier which allows the passage of air, so that the incidence of the sun is not direct into de building, and its also creates a meteorological barrier.
- After de vapour barrier there is a first layer of durock wall, a second of tyvek, a third off mineral fibre wool, then comes the inner layer that could be sheetrock or the same finish as the façade if the budget allows.
- With this passive system supported by the orientation of we can save in mechanical ventilation and conditioning equipment   and energy, the building is naturally cold in summer and naturally hot in winter.

Design  considerations

- Our intention is to create a recognizable object, its shape comes from a fish, and the exterior covering reminds of scales.

- We decided not to put the picnic area in the bridge, it is nicer to have a picnic on the grass, besides it would make it too expensive and it would be too wide. We created a picnic garden outside the plaza , just upon arrival form de bridge and stairs, it has a view to the lake and it is shaded by big trees, and at the same time it is adjoining but not together with the plaza events.

- The green wall in the Plaza creates a contained place and together with the shadow of the church it generates a microclimate, it acts like a veil which allows discovering through it the surrounding landscape.

- Parking is possible under crypts with direct access from west side.

- The crypts are like a library, a maze you can walk or stroll.

- All the building is ADA accessible, even without the use of mechanical devises.

- Sustainability and emphasis on Culiacan weather condition is a considered in all of the design.

- Three-dimensional modulation is based on a 4 ft by 4 ft grid , this guarantees order, coincidences, besides there is no waste all the material is used at it maximum expression allowing the acquisition of better material.

- The design is based in a series of structural frames  that create grids where all the other materials are hanged, screwed or attached in a mechanical way, allowing the service replacement and access to inner wiring plumbing etc. and also setting a job process of installing bases on prefabrication instead of jobsite construction.
- The stained glass presbytery is a fundamental part of the architecture; I fuses into it, and is part of the structural support of the building besides being recognizable from the outside.

- We added a fire pit on the centre of the plaza to provide heat in cold nights and also as a gathering point.