St. Gabriel’s by Roberto Chiotti takes on the traditional rectangular form of a Catholic church with a central worship space, spire, thick stone walls, and stained glass. From there, the church invites the public and connects them with nature and sunlight. With a gold LEED rating the building emphasizes green principles. Along with a large green roof, a “green wall” provides fresh air and indoor nature. This wall reduces potable water use by 78 per cent. In addition, waterless urinals, dual flush toilets, and solar-powered low-flow faucets provide an annual cost savings of $3,000.
“This was a wonderful project. We had a design team, a construction manager and a client that was dedicated (to green principles),” said Roberto Chiotti. Fifteen per cent of construction was from recycled materials and 10 per cent from salvaged materials from the original church.
The church is part of a shift in the role of religious architecture. This church connects the church-goers with the earth, but it also uses architectural devices to teach theological lessons. While Catholic churches of old used paintings and sculptures, St. Gabriel’s has colorful windows that dramatically shift light during the day. “We are connecting our sacred space into the sacred space of creation,” Chiotti said.
The thermal mass in thick concrete walls save cost while architecturally providing a sturdy foundation for the worship space. The vast natural light and the other environmental devices gives a space with natural temperatures and natural air, honesty with the earth and heavens. It’s “a link between the sacredness of the gathered community of faith and the sacredness of Earth.”
