Basilica of st.paul outside the walls, rome

Customer’s request: implementing a work to split the baptistery into two parts to create a safe passage for tourists visiting the basilica and to protect the masterpieces located in this area, including the baptistery. The challenges: implementing a glass partition wall that is both a work of art and a structure integrated in the environment and in the existing architecture. Installing the work in a non-invasive way and without damaging the decorated walls of the baptistery. Strategy and implementation: geometrical shapes and abstract patterns were used for this work: the first ones were used to adapt the work to the existing architecture, while the second ones were employed to create a unique masterpiece in this prestigious environment. The regular geometric pattern of the light grid is a filter between the two environments, capable of breaking down the power of the central beam, a heavenly ray of light coming from the holy ghost. Fair and luminous colours, such as white and yellow, were used, flowing on the glass window surface, toning down to create warm and appealing nuances. The lines break the grid and make it more vibrant, thus highlighting the luminous central part, where the holy ghost is visible in the upper lines: a white dove surrounded by the purifying light. The other door was designed using the same style to make the whole work more consistent. The glass window was created by using matt glass panes in the lower part as well as more transparent ones in the upper part to prevent tourists from looking inside the baptistery and to preserve the view of the architectural elements in the upper part, so that they can still communicate one with the other through the glass window. Technical specifications: the stainless steel frame has been adapted to the architecture to limit any invasive setting up intervention: six points of the frame are actually in touch with the walls and with the upper vault, which is where the closing element is located, made of tempered glass shaped adapting it to the decorations. Panels are placed in a double glazing window, which makes both environments safe for visitors, prevents the deterioration. The double glazing system provide an acoustic insulation to avoid any hindrance to the celebrations in the baptistery. Materials employed: we used high quality and hand-crafted mouth blown glass panes, which were shaped and engraved to obtain specific nuances and colours.