A new chapel with a community and education centre is designed to replace what a fire disaster destroyed on a nearby site in Altadena, California. The project is an analogy to the importance of community revival through faith, civic function, education and engagement. The project consists of 3 main spaces, the community space and the education space, both with internal courtyards, and then the main sanctuary crowned by a larger pavilion structure.

The project took shape around the theme of rebirth and renewal. The proposal searches to depict a version of communing, celebrating light as a building element to shape material, structure, inhabitation and raw beauty. The main sanctuary is the only space that sits above and below ground. The structural, coffered roof acts as a raised pavilion that lifts the inner most vertical elements off the ground to provide practical light, air and physical accessibility. The weight of the concrete is made to appear effortless from it’s interior and exterior elevation.