Campbell Hall Center for Spiritual Practice
Pictured here is the chapel at Campbell Hall, an Episcopal (k-12) school in Los Angeles. This multi-faith chapel is designed to “set the table of worship” for each member of the school community, without sacrificing the potent symbolism of its diverse religious practices. It is an intimate, human-scaled place, where individual personal experience is paramount.
Winner: 2014 Faith and Form / IFRAA International Awards for Religious Art and Architecture
Design choices are meant to be more effective than notable; material choices and imagery meant to act upon the visitor, to be felt rather than read. Tactility, sensuality and simplicity turn the experience inward and away from the world outside without completely losing contact with it. All effort is given to enhance and focus the natural beauty of the light in the room.
The sanctuary can be configured with the altar as focus (below left) or ark as focus (below right)
Chapel entrance
Flower of Life pattern based on a 14th C. Egyption madrassa
Sanctuary in Altar configuration
Prayer desk (foreground), Cross window background
Prayer wall
Prayer Wall (detail)
Cross window at night
Altar
Limestone and stainless steel candlesticks
Altar is made of wood species found on campus (red gum, ash, oak)
"Folded wood" gives the sense of linen
Sanctuary in the Ark configuration
Ark exterior
Ark when open
Ark door inscription
Entrance to Meditation Room
Meditation Room interior
Meditation Room interior (looking back toward entrance)
Meditation Room water feature
Stainless steel, marble, wood
Water trickling over marble petals
Preparing a Pittosporum trunk for cutting
Leveling the trunk
Final cuts in marble carving
Welding inner shell structure
Polishing shell surface