St. Mary’s Hospital has always prioritized building a spiritual community. The hospital park’s first structure was erected in 1959 by the Felician Sisters to provide healthcare support to the rapidly growing community fueled by the automobile industry’s expansion. Over time, the region’s population has become increasingly diverse both demographically and spiritually. Reflecting this historic context, the architect incorporated a Roman Catholic church, a confessional, and a Muslim prayer room within the building’s design.
This project, an extension within the hospital park, was strategically sited during the conceptual phase. The location was chosen to align spatially with the hospital’s northern entrance and to visually connect with the existing cross on the hospital’s north facade, creating a deliberate relationship between the new church and the existing religious symbol.
In designing the church’s exterior, the architect explored the tactile and visual potential of brick and stone to create a refined yet versatile aesthetic that embodies the church’s spiritual essence.
The church’s spatial layout begins with situating the building at a lower elevation to maintain respectful harmony with the existing hospital structure. Where the new building intersects the old, the architect shifts the orientation from horizontal to vertical to emphasize the significance of this addition.
Sunlight plays a critical role in the church’s design. The architect oriented the building to create a sacred space filled with natural light: a tall, narrow window on the east facade welcomes the morning sun at 6 a.m.; a specially designed dichroic glass window on the south filters selective spectral colors; and paired windows on the west side visually connect to a future healing garden.
Extensive experimentation was conducted with the dichroic glass to ensure it harmonizes with the building’s solar exposure. Within the sacred space, the chapel, altar, and lectern are all carved from durable white marble limestone blocks using advanced digital fabrication techniques.
▲ Analysis Chart
The church’s distinct cone-shaped geometry highlights the chapel’s prominence, emphasizing the core ceremonial elements. The ceiling’s geometric form creates a powerful visual link to the chapel, positioned axially opposite the altar. Furthermore, the architect accentuated key spatial corners using unique brick and stone textures on the building’s surface.
▲ Analysis Chart
Innovative diamond-cutting techniques were employed, including clockwise rotation of stones to transform traditional brick stacking into a spiraled connection. The corners are carefully adjusted to maintain this spiral effect, creating a unique woven appearance. The architect also selected bricks and stones with iron-black speckles to visually differentiate the new church from the existing hospital. The reflective material surface and undulating facade further enhance the dynamic play of light on the building.
Project Drawings
▲ General Layout Plan
▲ Floor Plan
▲ Plan Details
▲ Front Elevation 1
▲ Front Elevation 2
▲ Section 1
▲ Section 2
Project Information
Type: Chapel
Location: Livonia, USA
Architectural Design: PLY+
Area: Approximately 304 square meters
Year: 2018
Photographers: Adam Smith, Jeffrey Kilmer
Manufacturers: Hunter Douglas, Goldray Glass, Endicott, FritsJurgens, Eastern Architectural Products
Project Team: Craig Borum, Jen Maigret
Project Leaders: Andrew Wolking, Masataka Yoshikawa, William Carpenter
Project Drawings: Markus Boynton, Annabelle Guan, Yibo Jiao, Michie Nimsombun, Maggie Shao, Andrew Wolking, Masataka Yoshikawa, Arvin Yu, Jiashi Yu, Yusi Zha, Dinghao Zhou
Structural Design: SDI Structure
Civil Engineering: IMEG Corp
Mechanical and Electrical Engineering: Nederveld
Lighting Design: Illuminart
Acoustic Design: Arcgeometer
Cost Estimation: Granger Construction
Building Code Compliance: PLY+
Technical Standards Control: PLY+
Security Design: St. Mary Mercy Livonia
Spatial Etiquette Consultation: Gilbert Sunghera
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up