the nuns, lecture rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, parlours and sports- fields.
They decided, however, to design a separate building for each function and to link the whole with the cover- ed walkways. These buildings would be grouped together around a central courtyard, in which the chapel would he the focal point.
se-
The accommodation for the priests. nuns and students would be in parate double storey blocks, with all rooms facing north and the passages on the south side. The students were originally to be housed in two se- parate blocks of similar design, but because of cost their quarters were eventually incorporated in one build- ing with both north and south fac- ing rooms.
Exposed Concrete
con-
These buildings are framed crete structures with 3 in. thick pan- els, filled between columns on a 7 ft. 6 in. grid. The building blocks are integrally coloured and patterned forming table tops and cupboards on the inside of rooms. Similar blocks to the first floor passages on the south of the nuns' and priests' quarters have plant boxes behind them and holes through which the plants can grow.
The geometric pattern on these blocks is based on the upright and the St. Peter's inverted cross. The fascias of the buildings are of similar precast concrete. Exposed concrete. in which is red granite and cement tinted with red oxide, is also used. The vertical pattern was cast in the concrete and then scrubbed with wire
brushes as soon as the shuttering was stripped.
The lecture rooms, kitchens and parlours are in single storey build- ings in which use is made of laminat- ed beams, South African pine ceil- ings and panelling all stained a red- wood colour. Copper gloves sheath the rafter ends both for protec- tion and decoration and these have been chemically aged to start the patina.
The use made of copper is exten- sive and the green of these sheaths is picked up once again by the novel rain-water outlets
copper pipes. fixed by chains into rectangular pools. Once again, in these buildings, use
Covered walkway north of chapel is made of integrally coloured press- ed concrete building blocks, with pre- cast concrete copings patterned similarly to the fascias on the nuns' priests' and students' quarters to lend continuity.
The plan, shape and patterning of all these buildings is rectilinear, to contrast sharply with the circular de- sign and decoration of the chapel.
Discussing the architecture of St. Peter's, Mr. Konya says that the aim was to achieve an organic design in which the buildings would blend in with the surroundings, and ornament and pattern become an integral part of the architecture. Mr. Konya was born in Hong Kong in 1935.
AT
View of
chapel from south west corner of courtyard
Far East Architect & Builder September, 1965
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