Project Description
Given the extension of Catholic community and the increasing in tourist in Samui island, Suratthani, who wishes to participate the mass in the then chapel, Bishop Joseph Prathan Sridarunsil, SDB, came up with the idea to build a new church and name it as Mary Help of Christian church. The selected architect, whom inspired by the church name, took part of the Holy Bible relating to holy Annunciation of Mary into his design as follow: LUKE 1:35 In answer the angel said to her: “Holy spirit will come upon you, and power of the Most High will overshadow you. And for that reason the one who is born will be called holy, God’s Son. LUKE 1:38 Then Mary said: “Look, Jehovah’s slave girl. May it happen to me according to your declaration.” At that the angel departed from her. From the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to Luke, 1:35 and 1:38, we can see that the appearance of Angle to convey the Holy message to Mary the virgin was in a humble and simple way yet powerful. It was to accept the Holy Spirit to possess her in order to bear the Redeemer in her womb. She sacrificed herself as a natural mean for human being survival. In designing the building, the architect intends to have it in a simple way with its internal space with light form that creates a feeling of security as in the mother womb. Building exterior was designed in a combined form of praying hands, Angle wings and the Rays of the Holy Spirit. The use of natural light shining through the wall for interior lighting and shadow of cloud falling on the walls, work as a presence of God that is above all things created by human being. To demonstrate all this phenomena in a hot and humid environment of Samui island, the long and narrow light void and a big screen including a light weight insulation concrete wing running through the light void were built to create a shadow that keep changing with time yet retains the interior comfort. “No decoration…… Best decoration” The architect intends to minimize the symbolic decoration to let the Christian focus only on sacrament and its natural environment. Only natural material with minimum process are selected, eg. White concrete wall, terrazzo floor, glass, white oak furniture and gray marble, for interior decoration as its role is only the venue for the mess. Prayers can humbly enjoy their peace of mind while embracing the Glories of the great Creator.