SOM161

Holy Angels Church

Design/Completion 1989/1991

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Holy Angels Parish

18,400 square feet

Reinforced concrete and Steel frame

Masonry, glass, Steel, solar panels

The new church replaces one destroyed by fire in 1986, and has been reoriented to face east, with access to the remaining rectory building. The chapel tower anchors the basilica plan at the north-east, while the glazed sanctuary and baptistry mark the west. Steel roof trusses characterize the nave which ends in a burst of light above the altar.

The pitched roof carries a glass and Steel envelope the length of the south side, capturing solar energy that is drawn through a hollow concrete floor providing direct and indirect heating and cooling. Conceived as an energy-efficient thermos using component building systems, the design minimizes construction and operating costs. The main entrance is the major opening in the north wali, facing the Street, while the south side is punctuated with glazed doorways.

1    Ground-floor plan

2    Slrcct vicw looking east

3    West elevation: night view

4    Sanctuary altar looking north

5    Sanctuary view

6    Altar wali vicw

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