not overpowering. It has a smooth flowing form, made possible by the plastic quality of the concrete.
Both the pulpit and the commu- nion table are important visual ele- ments, comprising the word and the sacrament. The pulpit is round in plan and simple in construction, while the long communion table is made from an old tree trunk.
Coloured panels at the front and back of the chapel were designed by William M.C. Lim, a local artist. They continue the concept of man and God related through the cross.
In the panel composition, Christ is represented in the centre with out- stretched hands and further empha- sised at the top by the largest red disc. The artist has chosen the warm colours of yellow, organge and light brown to signify God's radiating power and hospitality.
To complement these warm colours, the cool colours of green, blue, purple and dark brown are in troduced with various sizes of round discs representing. humanity at large. All colours and levels of life project from the panel background at differ- ent levels, giving the concept of uni- versal order.
In planning the chapel the most difficult problem was to create a dis- tinctive form out of a multiplicity of user requirements on a limited site and still be able to maintain a physical connection with an adjoining building.
Site plan
MOUNT
SOPHIA
R
However, once user requirements were clearly defined the form followed.
One other problem was to blend the building with the existing architecture and yet be able to maintain an identity of its own. This was particularly dif ficult where the new building had to tie up with the levels of the old build- ing and the physical connection had to be made at every floor.
Construction
The complex has two components - the chapel and the social hall/office block.
The chapel is 45ft. by 60ft. and has
SCALE:
EXISTING 4 STOREY BUILDING
EXISTING CARETAKERS QUARTERS
NEW 4 STOREY
·SOCIAL HALL &
OFFICES
NEW CHAPEL
0
1/2
Chain
a normal seating capacity of 150 and a maximum capacity of 300 people when the social hall and verandas are used. It sits on a suspended reinforced concrete slab floor which has a cantil- ever of 10ft. all round and is raised above the natural ground by about 2ft.
Reinforced concrete roof beams, constructed in form of the two arms of the Chinese character for 'man', are built at intervals of 15ft. and the roof itself is decked over with timber and finished with galvanised iron Kliplock over a layer of Sisalation.
The ceiling is finished in striated fibrous plaster in natural finish. The
SCALE
Cross section
10
20FT
Far East BUILDER, March 1970
ROOF LIGHTS
23
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