Chapel on a Hill

Year: 2013
Category: Concepts · Architecture +Aging
Type: Cultural
Status: Built
Firm: estudio santander
Location: San Antonio, United States

"The tremendous challenges that the aging population encounter are immense—degenerative disease, chronic pain, the onset of age related mental conditions, loneliness—all are a fraction of the constant reminder of the fragility of their life at a near end.Engaging these specific challenges of aging guided the intent of our proposal—to create an area that stitched together a disjuncted planned community into a village/community with a lively centre.The aging are located in the horizon of their lives. A horizon that is not a fine line that marks the end, but a horizon that Heidegger hints as a continuation—In that regard, we seek to create a space that inspires, soothes and pacifies an individual at the horizon/continuation of her/his life.

A space that gently and lovingly embraces the individual. A space that remotely reminds the user of a memorable experience or place without really recalling its precise location or moment; but seeming all the too familiar—be it the past, present or future.By creating three unique worship spaces under one structure we propose to celebrate each of their distinctiveness, the relationships and different intensities of their shared opacities. Each space celebrates the specificity of the religion while celebrating and honoring the life of service and dedication of retired military women and men.Reclaimed wood posts mark the entrance at the narthex, the interior wood shell acts as a point of reference of solidity-an area of neutrality.

The Sanctuary, inspired by the structure of airplane fuselages, glows with a peaceful intensity- light here invades the user directly. The sacristy is scaled to relate to the single house detached homes in the community and protestant worship.The Blessed Sacrament is illuminated by the opacity of the walls and hundreds of copper tubes that act as intermediaries as shimmering sun rays enter the space from above. This dramatic space also serves as a lighthouse of presence in the community. This space is scaled to relate to catholic worship.The Multi-faith room has operable walls on both sides making it possible to extend the sanctuary into the narthex.

It also houses a direct link to a reflecting pool- setting the right characteristics for meditation.The building and its outdoor areas become a gathering ground-an area of articulation that was non-existent in the community. It becomes a place of renewed interests and refreshed sense of inspiration, hope and faith. A community." Links: - https://vimeo.com/66860300