RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE/NEW FACILITIES
Award
Sacred Heart Chapel and Parish Hall
Coronado, California
Architect
dommusstudio architecture
San Diego, California
The sanctuary of Sacred Heart Chapel and Parish Hall, designed by architect Irving Gill, was dedicated in 1920. This new design improves the rest of the campus facilities while respecting the historic church. The project added a new parish hall, chapel, and renovated parish offices, all fronting onto an arcade-wrapped central courtyard on a very tight site. It was paramount that the fabric of the historic church be preserved, and the new facilities took cues from its color, materials, and subtle ornamentation. Moreover, the improvements maintained the visual hierarchy of Gill’s church. The courtyard is purposefully clean, simple, and unadorned to respect its context. It embraces the southern California climate and serves as an unencumbered outdoor gathering space that families often enjoy during outdoor worship experiences.
Jury Comments
The power of Sacred Heart Chapel and Parish Hall’s design is how the church creates a “place” on this site. The new chapel’s planning and the parish hall work in unison with the existing historic church to identify this Roman Catholic community’s heart. The design is subtle and fits well with its California landscape.
