After visiting the Estancia Church, several homeowners reached out to us with a special request: to build a private chapel for their weekend villa in Cuernavaca. Their vision was for a cathedral-like space—a non-religious church dedicated to meditation and reflection.
While the owners admire the Estancia Church, they prefer a simpler design for their chapel. The structure should remain hidden from direct view of the villa yet still possess a sense of grandeur. Their goal is not to create a “spectacular” building, but rather a unique atmosphere felt deeply when inside—similar to the spiritual ambiance found in the Estancia or Sunset chapels.
To put it in perspective: if the Estancia Church celebrates life and the Sunset Chapel mourns death, this third meditation chapel balances both—serving as a midpoint between life and death, inviting a journey inward towards the self. We envisioned partially burying the small chapel, transforming it into a gentle mound on the landscape. Central to this concept is the integration of water as a vital life element.
We designed a water mirror at ground level as a subtle landscape feature, visible from the house as a small garden stream. As visitors approach, they discover a gentle slope surrounding the chapel, leading to a stunning glass entrance that opens into the central meditation space. A circular opening in the metal roof aligns with a corresponding metal piece on the ground, through which a large quartz stone is placed, allowing light and water reflections to interact harmoniously.
Design Drawings:
▲ First Floor Plan
▲ Roof Plan
▲ Section View
▲ Detail Image
Project Information:
Architectural (BIM) Firm: BNKR
Location: Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
Category: Small Church
Lead Architect: Esteban Suarez
Building Area: 170 m²
Project Year: 2013
Photographer: Jaime Navarro
Design Team: Emelio Barjau, Jaime Sol, Jorge Alcantar, Christian Morales, Gloria Castillo, Montserrat Escobar, Marcell Ibarrola, Fernando Maya, Marco Maycotte, Daniel Aguilar
Structure: Juan Felipe Heredia, DAE
MEP: Sylvia Roman, MmasExpressions
Lighting Consultants: Ricardo Noriegga, Santiago Bautista, Noriegga Luminadores
Mechanical Consultant: Sylvia Roman, MmasXpresiones
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