Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes, Estación Atlántida, Church building in Estación Atlántida, Uruguay.
Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes is a rectangular church with undulating brick walls and a curved roof supported by reinforced vaults that flow naturally. The structure includes a cylindrical bell tower and holds approximately 300 seated worshippers with space for about 200 more standing throughout wide passages that have no benches.
Engineer Eladio Dieste designed and built this church between 1958 and 1960 using innovative techniques with basic materials available at the time. The work received UNESCO World Heritage recognition in 2021 for its contribution to modern architecture in Latin America.
The church reflects how modern religious spaces were built in Latin America during the 1900s, serving as a gathering place where the local community celebrates and worships together.
The interior is open and easy to move through, with wide passages that allow visitors to explore the space without feeling cramped or confined. Natural light flows through the curved walls, making it simple to see and navigate the whole space.
The engineer employed reinforced ceramic technology in the brick construction, allowing curved forms that would normally be difficult to achieve with such basic materials. This method was uncommon at the time and made the building a pioneer in using this approach across the region.
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