Tepalcingo Chapel

After the earthquake damaged the biggest church in town a call was made for volunteers to help create a temporary chapel so that the community could resume their daily worship and mass service.  Knowing that the repair of the original church would take a long time it was important to build a structure that could not only last for many years but also withstand another strong earthquake in the future.  The new chapel took over the courtyard space of the former home of the clergy which was across the street from the damaged church.  It was important for the community to have a large space for Sunday mass that could accommodate hundreds of visitors and worshippers. 
 

The interior of the new chapel is composed of a grid of steel connections allowing for a structurally secure building that can span vast lengths.  For natural ventilation purposes a high ceiling was built to capture rising heat from the congregation during the hot summer months. The roof of the structure was covered with corrugated metal sheets diverting rainwater to nearby gutters.  The outside of the chapel was then covered with planks of wood creating a new and welcoming façade for the community.  Local volunteers composed of farmers, youths, and even the elderly built this whole chapel in a period of several months with the help of outside donations and material contributions.