Ecumenical Chapel / BNKR

Architects: BNKR
Area: 170 m²
Year: 2013
Photographs: Jaime Navarro
Lighting: Noriegga Illuminadores, Ricardo Noriegga, Santiago Bautista
MEP: MmasXpresiones, Sylvia Roman
Mechanical Installations: MmasXpresiones, Sylvia Roman
Partner In Charge: Esteban Suarez
Team Design: Emelio Barjau, Jaime Sol, Jorge Alcantar, Christian Morales, Gloria Castillo, Montserrat Escobar, Marcell Ibarrola, Fernando Maya, Marco Maycotte, Daniel Aguilar
Structure: Juan Felipe Heredia
City: Cuernavaca
Country: Mexico

The Ecumenical Chapel by BNKR is a private, non-religious meditation space in Cuernavaca. Commissioned by clients seeking a discreet yet impactful chapel, it bridges the concepts of life and death. The chapel is integrated into the landscape, appearing as a stream from a distance, with a ramp leading to a U-glass entrance. Inside, an oculus filters light through water, with a metal structure centered by a large quartz reflecting this light onto the floor, creating a tranquil, introspective atmosphere.

After visiting the Estancia Chapel, some clients reached out to BNKR to design a private chapel for their weekend house in Cuernavaca. They requested an Ecumenical Chapel—a non-religious space intended for meditation.

They admired the Estancia Chapel but desired something more discreet, something that wouldn’t be visible from their house yet still possessed a sense of grandeur. However, they weren’t looking for a “formally spectacular” design; instead, they sought a space that evoked a special feeling, similar to the experience of being in the Estancia or Sunset Chapel.

If the Estancia Chapel celebrates life and the Sunset Chapel reflects on death, this third chapel for meditation represents a midpoint between the two—an equilibrium, a reflective journey inward. BNKR envisioned it as a buried structure, a subtle rise in the ground, incorporating “Water” as a vital element in the design.

Incorporating a water mirror at ground level creates the appearance of a small stream in the garden, viewed from the house as an “intervention in the landscape.” Upon closer inspection, a descending ramp surrounding the chapel becomes visible. The U-glass entrance leads into the central space, where an oculus in a metal plate offers views of the outside through the water. A metal structure with a large quartz at its center reflects the oculus onto the floor.