The Chapel | a21studio

The Chapel is a community space in a new urban ward on the outskirt of Hochiminh city, Vietnam. As the result of estate crisis, the surrounding area is lacking of communal centers; therefore, the Chapel is designed to be the place for people, especially the youth, to participate in activities such as conferences, weddings, exhibitions or enjoying a light coffee and snack. Located in a 10x20m land rented in 10 years, The Chapel takes advantages of materials from the owner’s previous projects such as steel frames, metal sheets... Moreover, by using steel as the main structure material, it not only makes the foundation lighter, but also helps shorten the construction period than normal, and saving cost as well. The portal frame is made by dual 40×80 steel columns with 40x40 steel braces connecting to white painted metal sheets; so from a distance look, the building appears as a white chapel. However, the available steels are not strong enough; columns and beams are considered to stabilize for the entire building. A tree shaped steel column with 90x90 steel bars is applied to be the only structure that appears inside the Chapel. This either gives an aesthetic look to the Chapel or saves more space on the ground for different activities. Inside, the chapel is the single space covered by a pure white. The multi-layer colorful curtains are orderly arranged and placed in the opens to add more colors to the entire space as well as soften the coldness of the metal frames. In addition to nature feelings, wood in its rustic look are also applied for floor and furniture besides the layouts of gardens around the building. Finally, the Chapel is a community space for the youth in a new urban area. In order to adapt multiple operations and deal with short term rent, a steel portal frame supported by a single tree shaped column is employed. Additionally, colorful curtains and natural materials are used to boost the entire space.