Use of Wood in the Construction Tradition of a 17th-Century Church in Southern Brazil

Abstract

Wood has been one of the oldest and most widely used building materials throughout history. During the colonial period in Brazil, woodwork ranged from artistic expression to the construction of edifices that represented the formation of new settlements, such as religious temples. This study aimed to understand the use of wood as a construction technique and structural solution in the Church of Nossa Senhora da Graça, located in southern Brazil, by analyzing the wood used in this historical building. The research followed the assumptions of historical anatomy, beginning with the survey of documentary sources on the history of the city and the church. Wood samples were obtained from all the church’s structural components, along with photographic and floor-plan records of the building. Histological preparations were prepared according to standard wood anatomy techniques and subsequently used for structural description and taxonomic identification based on a reference collection. In the original structure, eight native arboreal taxa from the Atlantic Forest with natural occurrence in southern Brazil were identified. The predominant wood used in the roof structure, bell tower staircase, and flooring is Ocotea porosa -Lauraceae (imbuia). The replaced truss piece was made of Licaria sp. -Lauraceae (louro). The frames were entirely constructed from Handroanthus sp. -Bignoniaceae (ipê). Internal structures, such as staircases, were made from Cedrela sp. -Meliaceae (cedro). In the wattle-and-daub wall framework, Ocotea sp. -Lauraceae (canela) was found. The central pillar supporting the bell tower staircase is Calophyllum brasiliense -Calophyllaceae (olandi), and the steps of the same staircase were composed of Aspidosperma sp. -Apocynaceae (peroba). The wooden floorboards were made of Ocotea cf. cymbarum -Lauraceae (louro-mamoreim). All taxa naturally occur in the Atlantic Forest, except Licaria sp. and O. cymbarum. All taxa exhibit high density and resistance to decay and insect attack, compatible with their use in construction. The use of Licaria sp. showed interventions carried out over time to maintain the building’s functionality, in accordance with the Venice Charter. It was thus possible to understand the link between construction techniques and the use of wood in this building, contributing to the preservation and appreciation of historical heritage, while highlighting wood as an essential cultural and historical element in colonial architecture.