CREJ - Building Dialogue - March 2015
There is a reason that the Assumption of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Denver metropolitan area stands out. With its large, golden dome, it is one of the most recognizable buildings in the city. Inside, opulent colors and distinctive traditional iconography embody many of the fundamental insights of Orthodoxy and are designed to appeal to the senses as well as the mind. The distinctive art and architecture are intentional and designed to enhance the worship experience by connecting heaven, represented by the dome, and Earth, represented by the nave of the church. Daily tours at the Orthodox Cathedral serve to educate visitors about the significance of art and architecture unique to Orthodox churches, and how they engage all of the senses in the worship experience. With a community that began in Denver more than 100 years ago as a spiritual haven for Greek immigrants, today the cathedral is a center of multicultural activity. For the past 50 years, the cathedral has hosted a Greek Festival – open to the public – featuring food, dance and song celebrating Greek traditions. In 2011, Eidos Architects began working with the parishioners to develop a master plan for the cathedral. The primary focus of the master plan was expansion of the campus to include a new, smaller chapel to help emphasize and enhance the sense of community in worship. Just after Easter in 2014, Krische Construction broke ground on the new chapel as well as entry and classrooms. The construction was completed in time for dedication of the chapel in October, and interior iconography is expected to be finished in 2015 by special artisans. During construction, work was scaled down periodically to accommodate special functions such as weddings and funerals, as well as the Greek Festival in June. Parishioners had some concerns going into construction about safe access to the cathedral and ad ministrative building as the project developed. This was addressed by utilizing directional signage, a fenced pathway through the staging area, and creating a larger space in the temporary entrance to allow for easier access to the cathedral. The 40-year-old historical entry to the cathedral was very understated. One design aspect of the new chapel was to announce the entrance to the sacred space. Previously, a bridge provided access to the cathedral. This exterior bridge would ice up during inclement weather. With the addition of the chapel, which is located closer to the parking lot, the bridge has been replaced with a covered main entry. The new entry leads to a corridor accessing the new chapel as well as the original cathedral. A critical component to this project’s success was the ongoing involvement of the cathedral’s real estate committee members and clergy. They attended ongoing project meetings, and their recommendations on key elements were incorporated into the project. In particular, they provided their vision of the recessed adult baptismal fount (an amenity the cathedral did not have previously), light fixtures and finishes as well as orientation of these features. The chapel is designed in a Byzantine architectural style to solemnly respect the design of the cathedral. The chapel dome is supported by four traditional pendentives, a triangular segment supporting the spherical dome above. The dome features natural light that dances down the walls through the clerestory windows. The exterior color of the chapel dome is intended to subtly complement the much larger golden cathedral dome. The new chapel allows the parish to hold weekday services and provides a space scaled for smaller, more intimate services such as adult baptisms, and smaller weddings or funerals.