The Sacred Heart community wished to expand their workship options for parishioners by adding an adoration chapel to the church building. Their vision was for a serene and mediative space for small mass services, private worship, small church functions and as overflow/multi-purpose space for larger events held in the nave. The chapel needed to be accessible after normal building hours via a separate entry and secured from the main church building. Handicapped restrooms were also desired to serve both the chapel and the sanctuary.
Challenges included blending the addition with the existing 1950s church building and working within the constraints of an extremely tight site. Intensive code research was necessary to ensure the project was feasible due to existing conditions. Additionally, collective creativity between all parties was required to ensure the vision was maintained while the limited budget maintained.
Unique features include repurposing two stain glass windows from the church's storage. One window was reframed to become a feature above the altar. To preserve the antique window, the pane was inserted within an insulated window. The second window was framed and backlight to become a centerpiece wall display in the vestibule. To bring more natural light into the chapel, solar tubes were installed in the ceiling.
