The research and ideas for Porta Sancta stemmed from our individual research scholarships in Florence through the RSA. We were both particularly interested in the way that patronage was weaved into the design of family commissioned side-chapels within the churches in Florence and also by the religious objects within them. We have reimagined this caged space as our own chapel, blending together both our styles through a number of sculptural pieces that are inspired by reliquaries, fonts, altarpieces and street shrines found in Florence.

This set of work is a continuation of a project we begun in lockdown where we started to digitally combine elements of our practices. Hugo’s, which is primarily concerned with the human body, and Hannah’s, which she uses to explore concepts of cultural identity through sculptural design. Digitising our physical work and drawings through photogrammetry allowed us to have a digital, sculptural dialogue, sending work back and forth to one another, adding and manipulating the object with each ‘reply’. The finished structures blend elements of ‘Western’ and ‘Eastern’ architectural designs, highlighting aspects of research from our individual and combined practices.


Porta Sancta
By Hannah Lim and Hugo Harris
Jan - Feb 2021

at Underground Flower: Southside
Produced in partnership with Harlesden High Street
Photography by Jennnital and Hannah Lim