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Synthetic Syncretism

Part 2 Project 2006
Tobias Klein
 Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL) | UK
‘Synthetic Syncretism’
The portfolio’s narrative background is based upon the hybrid Cuban Santeria religion—a mixture between Catholicism, African Yoruba tribe beliefs and Sakralraum with animal sacrifices.

Due to lack of burial space on the necropolis in Havana, I propose a ceremonial processional funerary route through the city. Slotted inside an existing cross-shaped courtyard, the inverted ‘Chapel of Our Lady de Regla’ acts as architectural, ritual and cultural highlight.

Its formal and structural expression is provided by a series of designed Santerian relics held inside the Sacristy—skeleteral and visceral utensils, 3D-modeled and 3D-printed in order to perfectly fit 3D-scanned animal bones.



With a plethora of means of representations not available to the analogue practice, Tobias provides an impeccable example of syncretism of contemporary CAD techniques and CAD/CAM technologies with historical architectural references, site-specific design narratives, and intuitive non-linear design processes.

Although digitally driven, he does not succumb to the pervasiveness of parametric protocols. His portfolio is more than the display of extraordinary 3D modeling and rendering skills, it is a virtuoso performance of patience, precision and tremendous creativity that re-enacts a challenging architectural conversation on ritualistic objects, pre-Modern typologies, and religious ornaments.

Who wonders about his nickname ‘Gaudi on Acid’?

2006
Syncretic Deities, the Cuban Religion of Santeria. 3D visualisations.
The Dualistic Necropolis Christobal de Colon in Havana; necrotic outbreaks of hidden entities. 3D visualisation.
Angelic figures; the Distorted Saviour. 3D visualisation of ephemeral materiality.
Boveda Street Shrine; one stage of the funerary procession (similar to a Corpus Christi procession). 3D visualisation.
Dagger of Salvation; hybrid ritual utensil as it exist in two realities. Rapid-prototype model (RP), scale 1:1.
Santerian Monstrance; 'cybrid' relic transformed and moulded in the virtual, casted in the actual. 3D scanned lamb shoulder bone, RP model.
Blade of Babalawo; prototyped zoomorphic ritual utensil. 3D scanned scull, RP model.
Sacred Heart of Our Lady; relic in Santerian belief. Combined 3D scanned Chelonian skeleton found on the necropolis, with RP modelled organs.
Everted Chapel of Our Lady de Regla; slotted inside an existing cross shaped courtyard it hides its sacro-sactum from the communistic actual on Cuba. Top view. 3D visualisation.
The Inverted Sacristy; it seems to have grown into the existing building. Longitudinal and cross sections. 3D visualisation.
The Ephemeral Skin of the sacristy; allows the light to sub scatter the surface. External view on everted sacristy RP model, scale 1:50.
The Inverted Sacristy. Internal view. 3D visualisation and RP model.
The Altar; zoomorphic necrotic elements that reinstate the lost multilayered surface of baroque. External view. 3D visualisation and RP model, scale 1:25.
The Altar. 3D visualisations.
The Altar; details of the spiked virtuality condensed into the actual; drips of surreal imagination materialised in the reality of our perception. RP model.
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