ARCH 484/664 the tectonics of the double skin c h u r c h I n f o l i g n o, t u s c a n y c a s e s t u d y #1 In this winning competition entry for a church in Central Italy by Massimiliano Fuksas, a conceptual, albeit crude, use of the double skin was applied in order to create a unique space of ritual and prayer. In this case study, the double skin is applied not for reasons of sustainability but to provide a sense of shelter and protection from the outside elements and for the enhancement of the meditative qualities of the interior space. The church is comprised of two buildings. A two-storey bar-like building houses the bulk of the program, including priests’ quarters, classrooms, and offices. The building discussed in this case study is comprised of two box-like concrete shells. Inside this enclosure the architect has placed the main space of ritual. The outer skin, with its massive reinforced concrete walls acts as structure to the lighter inner shell, suspended off the former by means of large prism-shaped lightwells. These lightwells allow direct penetration of sunlight into the main space. The hierarchy of structure has thus been reversed, with the interior skin being suspended from the exterior skin.