Grace Chapel (Washington County) Camp for All is itself a community situated about five miles north of Burton and 10 miles west of Brenham. Isolated in the bucolic landscape, the camp encompasses two small lakes and densely forested parcels on 206 acres. After the land was purchased in 1997 by the nonprofit Camp for All Foundation, construction began on the first phase of development that would accommodate people with severe disabilities and illnesses who other wise might never enjoy such close contact with nature. Peter Boudreaux, AIA, took his inspiration for the design of the camp buildings from the agrarian metal-and-wood structures built by German and Czech immigrants who settled Washington County in the mid-1800s. The firm’s successful integration of the regional vernacular was followed by subsequent phases, including the addition of the 24,000-sf main lodge that is the heart of the camp. The most recent phase – construction of Grace Chapel, completed in July 2005 – brought to completion Curry Boudreaux’ master plan. Like its predecessors at Camp for All, Grace Chapel extends from a respectful heritage of utilitarian structures. “We are using archetypes the early builders carried over from their native countries and working with those patterns with new sensibilities,” says Boudreaux. “Call it ‘polka fusion.’” The building demonstrates the filtering of historical techniques through modern technologies, such as bolted connections and laminated structure. “The form was inspired by the many small white churches scattered across Washington County. We did not focus on one particular church as a model,” he says, “but the ideas these churches [in the vicinity] gave us were simplicity of form, respect for proportions, and gracefulness of a wellsited building.” Indeed, the building’s siting is paramount to the overall sense of tranquility one experiences when inside the chapel. The architects took advantage of a natural creek that forms a connection between the camp’s two lakes, the smaller located a few yards from the chapel and framed by its tall north-facing window. At the entry, three large oak trees shade the east facade and an outdoor contemplation garden. While the chapel’s compact cruciform plan is more complex than the simplified basilica plans of the churches in Serbin, Wesley, and Round Top, the new building’s configuration easily accommodates wheelchairs and expands the camp’s mission to make facilities accessible
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