DMCI rehabs UP Chapel

MANILA, Philippines — The DMCI Group has rehabilitated the 65-year-old Parish of the Holy Sacrifice, known as the UP Chapel inside the University of the Philippines Diliman Campus in Quezon City.

DMCI Homes worked on rehabilitating the national historical landmark and cultural treasure by repairing its old and worn-out parts and repainting its interior and exterior facades.

Built in 1955, the UP Chapel was among the first projects built by DMCI Group of Companies founder, the late David Consunji.

The structure was designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin.

DMCI, which commenced construction work in July 2020, completed the rehabilitation project last December.

DMCI Homes did a series of consultations with UP officials and UP Parish to address the immediate needs of the chapel and to ensure that its original state of beauty and elegance were maintained when the repairs were executed.

The restoration of the UP Chapel was supposed to start early 2020 but due to the pandemic, the restoration plan was pushed back to the latter part of the year.

DMCI Homes led a team that facilitated the repair of masonry cracks, declogging of downspouts and drains, and the installation of new electrical fixtures.

Repainting work was performed on the chapel’s iconic dome and roof as well as its walls, columns, eaves, under slabs, ceilings and railings.

The murals depicting the Stations of the Cross, the marble altar, the floor mural, and the cross at the center of the chapel – all handiworks of national artists – were left untouched during the rehabilitation.

This year, DMCI Homes will next restore the chapel’s ceiling or the underside of the dome as this was rescheduled to give way for the church activities during the 2020 Christmas season.

The chapel is considered an important architectural landmark due to its unique and timeless design as it is the first circular chapel in the country with the altar in its center for a more personal and engaging community worship experience.

It is the only structure in the country to feature the works of five national artists, DMCI said.

With the restoration, DMCI Homes hopes to preserve the architectural, engineering, cultural, and religious significance of the chapel for more people in the coming decades.