Hill Country Chapel

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  • Perched along a Texas hillside, the intimate and reverent chapel protects and respects its place in humble form
  • Quarry-cut limestone blocks provide foundation and enclosure with a delicate steel frame bearing on the stone and supporting the roof above
  • 12-foot cantilevers reach out through the walls, finishing in a thin edge floating above the framed stained glass
  • A bell tower signals the arrival court with its grass and stone pavers, and a water-collection font adds sound and reflection
  • Restrooms and a bridal dressing room frame the entry court on its east edge
  • Sustainable materials fill the chapel while sustainable systems operate quietly in the floor plenum space created between the earth and foundation
  • Veiled natural light fills the space during the day, while solar collectors provide the energy for softly lighting it at night
  • Rainwater collection irrigates the surrounding landscape and supports the water going to the facilities