Yakap: Redesigning the Church of Marawi

Project idea

What was left after the war?

The people of Marawi experienced a lot of tragedies during the siege and after the siege. And they are still experiencing a lot of adversities in their lives as they rebuild their structures, their community, and their culture. Aside from the casualties and damages on the buildings. The morale of the people was also damaged. Not only that the people need healing but also the community's healing by rebuilding its communal spaces is a need.

Yakap —an act of holding someone tightly in one's arms, typically to express affection— is a common idea in the Filipino culture. Manifested in our everyday lives where we try to use hugs as a tool for coping up and catching up.

The idea of the redesigned Marawi church is to create a centralized space that brings different pieces together, bringing the people together and creating a sense of unity by one single “yakap”.

Project description

The need for physical embrace. The embrace of the church to its community. We need healing for both our body and soul.
But for one to fully heal, one must first acknowledge what happened.

We must not forget and simply move on. We need to acknowledge what has been left, for us to move forward. From bullet hole scars of the war-torn church, a glimmer of hope comes in.

The rebirth of faith in the New Marawi Church focuses on three (3) main goals. For - Gathering, Protection, and Inclusion

Gathering
With a vision to gather the people in a main space, the Reimagined Marawi Church serves as a place for connection. It gathers the locals in the main church to attend the mass and an outdoor park that can accommodate larger festivities and celebrations.


Protection
The need for a safe, comfortable, secure and resilient environment is necessary. Here, the mound serves as a seamless integration of the structure on the built environment. Acting as a visual intervention, it allows the church to have a multi-level space program without creating a visually imposing structure.


Inclusion
A gesture that aims to give unity to the project and its surrounding community. The multi-purpose and community area accommodates the diverse people in the community. Located on the lower ground floor of the building, it provides a safe and dynamic space for interaction in the community.

Technical information

A thin brick vault structure created a fluid, free space for the parishioners and the whole community of Marawi. The design used a timbrel vault system, it is a thin vaulted structure system that spans and encloses church. The brick structure expands upwards and seemingless spreads to the ground and connects nature to the church. The mound also serves as a structural protection for the church and as well as visual intervention.