The late David M. Consunji, recognized as the grandfather of Philippine construction, would have been proud.
One of his very first projects, the iconic Parish of the Holy Sacrifice or more popularly known as the U.P. Chapel, inside the University of the Philippines, Diliman Campus, has been repainted and restored back to its original grandeur by the company he founded, no less.
DMCI Holdings’ quadruple developer DMCI Homes, repaired and repainted the chapel, making it ready just in time for observance of Holy Week.
The restoration work involved repainting, construction and scraping of the Church’s dome interior.
Before 2020 ended, DMCI Homes also repaired masonry cracks, de-clogged downspouts and drains, installed new electrical fixtures, repainted the exteriors 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.
DMCI Homes then proceeded to the repainting of the dome’s interior mid-February this year after getting approval of the paint color to be used from U.P. officials and the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice.
For the restoration project, DMCI Homes partnered with JBLS Trading & Construction Aesthetics and Boysen Philippines which donated the paint materials.
The U.P. Chapel was designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin and built by Engr. David Consunji, one of his first projects as a young engineering graduate from UP Diliman.
Due to its unique and timeless design, the U.P. Chapel is considered an important architectural landmark 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 also the first structure in the country to feature a remarkable thin-shell concrete dome, made possible through Consunji’s innovation in the mixing and delivery of concrete. It is the only structure in the country to feature the works of five national artists.
With the interior dome finally repainted, the restoration of the chapel to its original glory is finally complete and people from all walks of life can enjoy and appreciate the chapel’s one-of-a-kind beauty for many years, says DMCI Holdings, the conglomerate founded by Consunji and which is now at the helm of his eldest son Isidro Consunji.
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