The Chapel at the Arts & Humanities Building

This Chapel is a focal point for an all-girl's K-12 academy, housed within the new Arts & Humanities Center of the high school. Completed in October 2009, this three story center of 27,000 square feet nestles into a former rose garden plateau of the wooded hillside between two converted manor houses from the 1920's and 1930's. The client was committed to a traditional vocabulary to harmonize with the context, but also with the surrounding neighborhood of large residences from the early twentieth century. The most important and striking feature of this Chapel is its careful balance of traditional elements to diminish its large scale in the natural deeply wooded hillside setting. In addition, inspired by the architecture of Julia Morgan on the west coast, the building within the building (the chapel) has a quiet presence featured in the assemblage of parts. The design intention is to express the timber-frame chapel as though it is an attached separate component with an "L" shaped arts, humanities and dining center.

The choice to use timber frame within the chapel (also a classroom for 140 students) was a conscious choice to showcase this focal point of the academy. In addition, there were many elements from the past history of the school (which had been in storage). What were selected from a large array of warehouse items from prior demolished buildings were a handful of significant artifacts with liturgical history. Using modern craftspersons, the four leaded glass and central stained glass windows and reconstructed altar were reassembled and reframed consistent with this building's details. Also incorporated into the Chapel are refinished pews that make up a portion of the seating. Up-lighting is concealed within troughs supported by the douglas fir timber frame. This is an academic, community and meditation space for all of the students.