18/02/2021
A 100-seat community chapel with an activity area located on a sloping lot in close proximity to the sea was taken as an opportunity to add to the architectural diversity of Bohol.
Adapting the Bahay na Bato as a template was a significant gesture in order to lessen the shock of introducing an avant-garde design in a largely conservative locale. This is evident in stacking the chapel over the activity area below, thus protecting it. This is a reconfiguration of the typical Plaza Mayor layout, thus potentially turning the area into a social destination. Meanwhile, balance was achieved by contrasting the new and unfamiliar forms with familiar materials like wood, stone, and concrete.
Referencing the local fishing culture meant merging of the wind (kite), as roof, and sea (boat), as floor. The result is a sculptural wall that embraces the interiors of the chapel, while giving the impression of a docked boat.
A meditative mood is maintained by the abundant use of louvers on the walls, which screens views from the outside but allows views towards the sea while also permitting the passage of wind and protection from harsh elements.
The design aspires to reinvent a ubiquitous building type using an equally ubiquitous template in order to turn it into a significant part of the local culture.
