I wanted to bring to your attention an ongoing chapel renovation project at my Jesuit high school in St. Louis, MO, as I thought the journal might be interested in featuring it... The chapel was originally built in 1924 and reconstructed after a severe tornado tore through it three years later. It was heavily renovated in the post-conciliar period with the installation of carpeting, chairs, and some very unsightly ceiling lights, and after suffering some neglect and very dim lighting for the last few decades, the administration finally decided it was time restore it to its original beautiful state as the heart and center of the school.
In addition to what our reader has already pointed out (and the comment about the lighting, as you will see for yourselves below, is no mere polemic), you will also note how the niches that originally served as side altars were curiously obscured by rather curious doorway structures -- additions that disrupted and distracted from the rest of the chapel it must be said.
Now let's take a look at the 'after' state.
AFTER:
First off, let's state the obvious. The doorway additions have been removed, thereby restoring the side altar niches. The chairs have been replaced by pews and the lighting has been replaced by skylights and a more traditional style of chandelier lighting. However, what is most impressive is the addition of architectural elements to the walls and ceiling, making the chapel seems much less 'boxy' than before and also much more visually interesting and beautiful. As well, the addition of some colour and stencilling has been added to the apsidal wall of the sanctuary which significantly helps to highlight the historic high altar and sanctuary, thereby properly focusing one's attention.
As a result, this renovation brings the chapel back to not only to a more classical sanctuary ordering, but also restores a much greater sense of nobility and beauty.
A few more details from the new liturgical space:
