The Kham Mang Chapel / BHA

Curated by ArchDaily

Architects: BHA
Area: 300 m²
Year: 2016
Manufacturers: Lixil Corporation, Phuquy
Lead Architect: Nguyen Xuan Minh

Text description provided by the architects. Kham Mang Chapel is the place where nearly 100 young schoolgirls of Hue Congregation of the Holy Cross Lovers pray everyday. The building is designed with a simple shape including a ramp that goes around a box shaped space. The nuns can walk slowly on that long ramp that leads to a stepping garden on the roof.

There is a Cross at the end of this journey as the expression of a difficult and patient training. The lean-to corridors with vertical percentile columns make a contrast to the solid shape of the main hall, provide a modern image but also harmonize with the 100 years old building standing by. On the South and East side, the solid timber doors system _which could be rotated around its center axiscombine with lighting slits on the West and North side create good ventilation as well as the quite atmosphere for the chaple.

The Kham Mang Chapel / BHA - Column, Handrail — © Hoang Le photographer

The Kham Mang Chapel / BHA - Image 3 of 26 — © Hoang Le photographer

Lighting in the building is also used as an important material of architecture. The orientation of the building is calculated carefully so as the slits of light make the changes of the interior. Simple shape, local materials and handwork construction help to decrease the cost of the building (100.000$)