Bigelow Chapel

3000, 5th Street Northwest, New Brighton, MN, United States

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Bigelow Chapel

3000, 5th Street Northwest, New Brighton, MN, United States

Type

Cultural › Gallery Religious
Educational › Elementary School

YEAR

2003

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, chartered by the United Church of Christ as an ecumenical seminary, serves a multidenominational community with over 300 students. Drawing from more than 20 denominations, the seminary has created a community that enables people with diverse backgrounds to explore common ground while celebrating their own heritage and personal experiences.
The new 5,300 square feet Bigelow Chapel will be located on the eastern edge of campus adjacent to the classroom. The chapel will be built at the garden level which is five feet lower than the main floor of the library and classroom buildings. Three distinct gardens will be created by the chapel parti, each one relating to the interior spaces in distinct and varied ways. The existing central garden will be used for large gatherings and celebrations, a small meditation garden will be quiet and contemplative and the north garden will provide expansive views of the open space around the seminary.
The architectural expression of the chapel's exterior will enhance United's existing architecture rather than contradict it. Inspired by the vertical lines of the surrounding buildings, one of the chapel's most distinctive feature will be a series of translucent glass planes that slice through the worship space and cantilever over the garden. Large windows along the west facade will allow natural daylight into the chapel and provide a glimpse of the interior curvilinear forms from outside. The light, transparent facade will be cradled by a series of interlocking wall and roof planes. At one end of the chapel, the tower will become a major focal point for visitors approaching the seminary from 5th Street and at the other end, the narthex will be a quiet transition space from the central garden to the chapel.
The Bigelow Chapel will be connected to the classroom building through a long processional element that extends from the new south entry to the narthex. Gradually sloping down from the classroom to the garden level, the processional creates a strong eastern edge for the seminary and a gentle separation between United and the neighborhood. The boundary will be further strengthened by a sloping wall that extends beyond the narthex to the north garden and a low wall that extends to the expanded parking lot.
The 150-seat chapel will be flexible to accommodate different religious traditions and styles of worship. A series of sweeping curvilinear planes will wrap around the chapel space, blurring the lines between floor, wall and ceiling. Wood veneer will be laminated onto curving glass or plexiglass panels to create the sinuous, transluscent planes. At the intersection of the cantilevered glass and curving surfaces, small continuous openings in the wood will allow direct natural light into the chapel from the windows and skylights above.
In addition to the chapel, a new wing will be built between the existing classroom and processional to house various support spaces. Included in the support area will be public restrooms, a mechanical/electrical room, sacristy storage and a chaplain's office. The primary materials for the Bigelow Chapel will be stone, glass and wood. The cantilevered glass planes will be sandblasted to emphasize each surface and low-iron glass will be used at the windows and skylights to maximize clarity and transparency. The tower, processional and narthex will be clad in an off-white travertine stone. The light color and split-faced finish will be compatible with the surrounding buildings and bring a sense of warmth and elegance to the seminary. Inside the chapel, plaster and stone will be used in conjunction with birch or maple wood panels that will cast a soft glow throughout the space.