Among the numerous tours for attendees of the 2006 AIA
National Convention in Los Angeles was the annual "walking
workshop" sponsored by the Center for Building Science and
Performance (CBSP). This year's tour was of the Cathedral of Our
Lady of the Angels, designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning Spanish
architect, Jose Rafael Moneo, Hon. FAIA. Our tour was led by
architect-of-record John Williams, AIA, along with construction
project manager Jeff Moe and structural engineer Nabih Youssef.
These individuals worked with a huge team to realize Moneo’s
design goals: a church filled with light; clarity of the
spoken word and music; and ability to withstand an earthquake and
be a place of refuge.
All photos in this article courtesy of
Thomas Quirk, AIA, of D'Agostino, Izzo, Quirk Architects
Exterior view, Cathedral of Our Lady of
the Angels |
The workshop began with a fascinating account of the structural
and architectural design process, followed by an 11-minute film
depicting the entire construction period. If only concrete pours,
truss installations, and application of interior finishes really
happened that quickly! Roger Cardinal Mahony, Roman Catholic
Archbishop of Los Angeles, played an active role in the design and
construction of the cathedral. The video showed
him frequently, sporting his red hard hat. Critics of
the opulence of the new cathedral have dubbed it the "Taj
Mahony."
Se could not tour the basement area to see the seismic
isolation system, but Youssef provided a thorough description.
Cardinal Mahony had requested that the expensive base isolators be
incorporated into the design to ensure a 500-year lifespan and to
provide refuge following an earthquake. The seismic system is a
performance-based design that will withstand an 8.4 Richter-scale
event and accommodate 24 to 27 inches of
displacement.
Our tour started across the 2.5-acre plaza and continued up the
stairs topped by Robert Graham’s immense bronze doors and
sculpture of the Virgin Mary at the Cathedral entrance. The
exterior concrete walls are 2- to 5.5-feet thick with a
shingled appearance and a remarkably smooth finish in "Adobe Gold"
color. The design and installation of the concrete alone produced
some amazing stories. They had to get special low-heat cement
from Scandanavia to accomplish curing without cracking.
Cathedral entrance, featuring ceremonial
bronze doors and sculpture of the Virgin Mary, both by artist
Robert Graham |
We entered the church via the south ambulatory, which is framed
by small chapels and liturgical artwork. Rounding the corner to
enter the immense cathedral nave brought a collective sigh of awe.
The ceiling height; the large, poignant tapestries; and the soft,
alabaster-filtered light combine to create a truly inspiring space
that seats up to 3,000 people. The walls are polished concrete, the
85-foot-high ceiling cedar wood, the floors Spanish limestone, the
pews wood.
The cathedral also has a crypt mausoleum in its lower levels,
with 6,000 mausoleum crypts and columbarium niches for burials
(a big potential revenue source for the church). The mausoleum
features a number of stained glass windows that were originally
installed in the smaller former Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, which
was severely damaged in the Northridge Earthquake of 1994.
As we followed the north ambulatory toward the exit, we viewed
the Cloister Garden, an intimate place for quiet meditation (and
retreat from the freeway). It contains a fountain surrounded by
oaks, sycamores, and southern California plants. We exited through
the north entrance, which is designed to accommodate the future
addition of brass entry doors to match the main entrance.
Due to the large number of tours offered at the same venue, CBSP
hosted fewer participants for this workshop than in past years. The
quality of this year’s tour was exceptional, however, and
participants gave it rave reviews. Kudos to our tour leaders: John
Williams, Jeff Moe, and Nabih Youssef.
 
Sanctuary and Cloister Garden of Our Lady
of the Angels Cathedral |
Nina Fair, AIA, is a member of the 2006 Advisory Group of
the AIA Center for Building Science and Performance.
| 
A Year of Accomplishment
