Macau Part 4.
52
Model of the bronze bell tower
ALTAR
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This further example of modern architecture
in Macau is written
by J. R. Fernandes,
who describes his
designs for...
PRIEST OFFICE 4
口
BAPTISTRY
ASSEMBLY SEATING
V
A Catholic Church on Coloane Island
WAITING RM.
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
BALCONY
MEETING
RM.
BALCONY
+ <d
CATECHISM
HALL
KIT.
BATM
DINING RM.
BATH
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
SERV
RM.
RO
O
NE building in which the Christian community gathers for the liturgical practices, especially the Eucarist;
A meeting centre to keep the cohesion of the parish community and also allow a missionary action directed to the general population.
These were the two major require- ments which governed all the pre- liminary design work for the new Catholic Parish Church, soon to be erected on Coloane Island, near Macau.
The overall desire was to create, not a church with a small parish centre coupled to it, but an ensemble where the missionary activities and social intercourse would not be re- legated to a secondary place.
In obeying these criteria the many functions were organized around an "adro", which is a covered patio opening onto a public garden. This adro is the centre of the development
the place where people gather and get psychologically prepared to enter into the church as it was the "pro- noas" in primitive Christian basilicas. In addition it will be a place where people meet to chat and to see and be seen.
A meeting room which also serves as a library and recreation room opens into the adro. Close to it there is another room for the catechesis teaching.
Baptistry
On the northern side one hall opens to the street (Rua do Meio) and serves the parish priest house on the first floor, the meeting room, the catechesis room, a small kitchen for light meals and a waiting room which opens into the sacristy, the parish office and two toilets.
The baptistry is a small chapel on one side of the church, opening into the nave and connecting with the parish office. The baptistry layout was planned keeping in mind the liturgical sequence of the baptism
Far East Architect & Builder June, 1965