This project emerges from the deep scar left by the Second World War. Located on the historic Gothic Line, the ruins of Santa Maria di Settefonti stand as silent witnesses to the conflict’s devastation. Our intervention transforms this traumatic memory into a multi-faith centre, a beacon of peace rising from the ashes. We propose an independent structure that remains entirely detached from the original walls, preserving their integrity without touching or leaning upon them, ensuring the scars of history remain visible as a solemn admonition.

On the façade, the "War Clock" monitors active global conflicts, echoing Pope Francis’s warning that "War is always a defeat." This installation serves as a permanent reminder that peace is not merely the absence of war, but a shared duty to be cultivated through dialogue. By naming the project "To Zero," we aim for a world of zero conflicts, a place where, despite our many differences, we accept one another and live in harmony.

Internally, the space is a neutral, silent volume where ethereal light filters through an opal roof, illuminating the interior in a soft, homogeneous manner. This precise architectural solution ensures that the space, rather than drawing attention to itself, highlights the people within and fosters deep meditation. At the end of the nave, the architectural narrative reaches its peak, a structural glass floor reveals the original Romanesque foundations beneath the visitors' feet, making history the literal base for a future of unity. In this same focal position, a monumental window serves as the sole aperture to the external world. Oriented towards the East and the rising sun, it acts as a universal focal point for all the world’s prayers.

The experience of this sanctuary begins before reaching it. The project formalises the existing bucolic path carved by pilgrims and hikers over centuries. This trail, a historical fragment of the routes connecting to the Via Flaminia Minor, is integrated as a guided journey through the Emilian countryside. A route that has survived time and conflict, it now leads visitors toward a sanctuary of interreligious peace.