Félix Candela’s contribution to modern architecture is internationally acknowledged. Regarded rather as structural art than architecture, his notable thin shell structures combine structural rationality, extraordinary form efficiency, and high aesthetic value. But his radical designs have so far been mainly studied from a constructive point of view. Scholars have focused on the spatial and formal characteristics of the hyperbolic paraboloids, the geometric form Candela worked most intensely with. The aesthetic beauty of these forms has also been considered only in its relation to the function, efficiency, and economy of these structures. In this article, I focus on the semantics of Candela’s structures and the meaning they convey. I use the methodology of semiotic analysis to study selected examples of churches designed by Candela in Mexico. I argue that understanding the inherent logic of the structure and reading the encoded symbolic meaning of the form leads to the intuitive perception of architectural space as a sacred place. The impact of these forms on the subconscious level is especially important in ecclesiastical architecture, which is both a community space for social gatherings and a very special personal space for contemplation and divine experience.

中文翻译：

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Félix Candela 薄壳结构的语义：两座教堂的案例研究

Félix Candela 对现代建筑的贡献是国际公认的。与其说是建筑，不如说是结构艺术，他著名的薄壳结构结合了结构合理性、非凡的形式效率和高审美价值。但迄今为止，他的激进设计主要是从建设性的角度进行研究的。学者们专注于双曲抛物面的空间和形式特征，坎德拉最擅长使用的几何形式。这些形式的美学美也仅在其与这些结构的功能、效率和经济性的关系中被考虑。在本文中，我将重点介绍 Candela 结构的语义及其传达的含义。我使用符号学分析的方法来研究坎德拉在墨西哥设计的教堂的选定例子。我认为，理解结构的内在逻辑并阅读形式的编码象征意义会导致建筑空间作为神圣场所的直觉感知。这些形式对潜意识层面的影响在教会建筑中尤为重要，它既是一个社交聚会的社区空间，也是一个非常特殊的沉思和神圣体验的个人空间。