Sala Laurentina
A historic religious site transformed by contemporary architecture
Sala Laurentina in Trapani occupies the site of a former Baroque church and houses Specus Corallii, a contemporary interior designed by architect Antonino Cardillo.
Key facts
Site type:
Comune:
Pastoral and cultural centre
District:
Historic centre
Sala Laurentina stands near Trapani Cathedral, on the site of the former Church of the Santissimo Sacramento, a Baroque church completed in 1698 and associated with the Confraternity of the Most Holy Sacrament.
The church was severely damaged during the Allied bombing of Trapani in 1943 and subsequently demolished. A new three-storey building was constructed in the 1950s for diocesan and community activities, including charitable initiatives and cultural events. After a period of disuse, it was restored by the Diocese of Trapani and reopened in October 2016 as a pastoral and cultural centre.
Its principal architectural feature is Specus Corallii (Cave of Corals), designed in 2015–2016 by Erice-born architect Antonino Cardillo. Inspired by Trapani's maritime heritage and coral-working traditions, the interior combines pale limestone walls with rough, coral-coloured plaster surfaces to evoke a coastal grotto. Natural light entering through high windows accentuates the textured surfaces and creates changing patterns of light and shadow.
The project attracted international attention and was featured in architectural publications including Dezeen, Casabella and AD Germany. It represents a distinctive contemporary intervention within Trapani's historic centre.
Photo: Stamati Bulgari
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The Church of the Santissimo Sacramento
The former church belonged to the Confraternity of the Most Holy Sacrament, documented in Trapani from at least 1535, when it was based at the Church of San Matteo. The confraternity subsequently occupied other locations in the city and combined religious observance with charitable work, including the distribution of bread to prisoners on major feast days.
The Church of the Santissimo Sacramento was completed in 1698. Its history was associated with the Forty Hours' Devotion (Quarantore), a practice involving continuous Eucharistic adoration. The devotion was introduced to Trapani in 1620, and a related religious institution was reorganised as a congregation in 1688.
The church was among the buildings severely damaged during the bombing of Trapani in 1943. Its ruins were cleared after the war, and the present building was constructed during the 1950s.
Sala Laurentina subsequently became a centre for diocesan and community activities. These included cultural and recreational events and charitable assistance to newly arrived immigrants.
After almost twenty years of disuse, the Diocese undertook a restoration programme, supported by parish priest Gaspare Gruppuso. The building reopened on 9 October 2016, providing a renewed meeting place for the local community.
Specus Corallii: architecture and symbolism
Specus Corallii takes its name from the Latin specus, meaning a cave or grotto, and corallii, referring to coral.
Antonino Cardillo conceived the interior as a contemporary interpretation of a cave, drawing inspiration from Trapani's relationship with the sea and its centuries-old tradition of coral craftsmanship.
The design consists of two contrasting spaces. An entrance passage, with green-grey plaster walls and terrazzo flooring, leads into the principal chamber, where pale limestone walls contrast with the rough, coral-pink plaster covering the ceiling.
The granular plaster, made using traditional materials including lime, sand and pozzolana, creates an irregular surface that changes in appearance as natural light enters through the high windows. The resulting contrasts between light and shadow emphasise the sculptural character of the interior.
The design also incorporates symbolic references to journeys and refuge. A wooden inlay representing a moored boat occupies the centre of the floor, while the repeated arches of the entrance passage suggest movement towards the main chamber.
Rather than reconstructing the lost Baroque church, Cardillo created an interior that connects the building's renewed religious and cultural purpose with broader themes of memory, the sea and the sacred.
Antonino Cardillo and international recognition
Antonino Cardillo was born in Erice in 1975 and studied architecture at the University of Palermo. He established his architectural practice in Rome in 2004.
His work is characterised by sculptural forms, textured surfaces, strong colours and an interest in the emotional and symbolic qualities of architectural space. His projects frequently reinterpret familiar architectural elements, such as arches, vaults and enclosed chambers, in contemporary settings.
Cardillo gained international visibility through projects including House of Dust (2013), a residential interior in Rome, and Crepuscular Green (2014), a monochromatic gallery interior. In 2009, he was included in the Wallpaper* Architects Directory, which highlighted emerging architectural practices internationally.
His work has been featured in publications including Wallpaper*, Dezeen, Casabella, The Architectural Review and AD Germany. He has also presented his work at institutions including the Architectural Association and the Royal College of Art in London.
Completed in 2016, Specus Corallii attracted particular attention for its reinterpretation of grotto architecture and its distinctive use of colour and materials. It was discussed in Casabella in 2017 and featured in German architectural publications, including BauNetz Interior Design and AD Germany.
The project has also appeared in German-language travel guides to Sicily, bringing the interior to the attention of visitors as well as architectural specialists.
For Cardillo, whose work extends well beyond Sicily, Specus Corallii represents a connection between his contemporary architectural practice and the cultural landscape of his birthplace.
Sources & further reading
The following sources document the history of the former church, the restoration of Sala Laurentina, the design of Specus Corallii and its reception in architectural publications.