I had the privilege to be a part of 121 collective for the competition.
The following description is from 121 collective :
The project focusses on bringing the people of Rukomo together, through utilising the openness of the site. This is a place for communities to gather not only during religious pilgrimages but also during times of joy and happiness.
The scheme involves a series of interventions that comprise the site of; a bell tower used to locate the site and invite people in during times of prayer, a visitor centre that can be given to the community as a place of exchange and the chapel. These are scattered around the central hearth of the site, further emphasising the communal importance within the open space. The space allows for a multitude of people from different social backgrounds to come together in one place and is surrounded by a barrier of trees, acting as shelter encircling the central ring; the atrium. The bell tower stands out from within the trees, offering the viewer a glimpse of the building upon approaching the site.
The entrance of the chapel is located on the East side of the building through the parvis which is formed of a lightweight, weaving timber structure that allows light to filter through. This space directs visitors from East to West where they are met with an intimate view down the nave towards the presbytery where the alter sits.