hodgetts + fung completes jesuit high school chapel in sacramento

hodgetts + fung completes jesuit high school chapel in sacramento
photo © joe fletcher
all images courtesy of hodgetts + fung

the design for the ‘chapel of the north american martyrs’ by hodgetts + fung in sacramento is intended to provide a contemplative journey for each student. this experience begins at the newly created entrance to the campus from fair oaks boulevard. the gentle curves of the drives and pathways take their queue from the existing infrastructure. an extension of the routes is formed to embrace a plaza and a wooded field, which envelop the space for the sanctuary.

pocket windows are carved through the solid mass of the wall on the chapel’s west elevation
photo © joe fletcher

the project is positioned as the apex for the institution; in its location it becomes an integral piece to the overall master plan of the school while maintaining a visual presence to the general community. the placement and height of the chapel reflects its importance as the signature building. its orientation directs the highest point of the roof towards the student arrival area, operating as a transition point for students. correspondingly, the lowest points relate to the heights of the adjacent structures.

strategically placed seismic braces confer liturgical meaning to an otherwise mundane engineering necessity
photo © joe fletcher

the simple geometry and limited material palette creates subtle entrances and gathering spaces. entrances are defined by a change in materials and lowered ceilings. the student passageway is orientated along the east-west plaza connecting to the existing campus, and is the most prominent opening as a long wall juts out of plane to gather the occupants. the transition from the classroom to the chapel happens as circulation makes its way through the plaza and up three short steps. meanwhile, public access is at the northwest corner directed towards the parking lot. a small raised exterior foyer leading to a pair of large doors marks this portal for ceremonial occasions.

the colored prisms of the curtain wall paint an ever-changing pattern on the curved walls
photo © joe fletcher

on the south side of the building a collage of transparent, translucent, and colored glass offers a glimpse of the vestibule to passersby. facing the rest of the complex, this is face exposes the most interior elements. the east-west walls, clad in large cement board panels, act as anchors to the folded roof. above, a slim tower pierces the canopy to be surmounted by a simple, unaffected cross, which will be visible from both the campus and the surrounding area.

the curved hallway with interior pocket window
photo © joe fletcher

(left) curved walls with ash wood slats serve as both acoustic baffles and HVAC grilles
(right) the shrine to lady mary provides a more intimate space for contemplation and gathering of a small group
photo © joe fletcher

liturgical furnishings were all designed by hodgetts + fung
photo © joe fletcher

chapel peak detail

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.