(opposite page) The non-
to as many people as possible. Extended eaves protect visitors from the elements as they enter or exit through the chapel’s two doorways. The similarities with the older churches range from a tower form that recalls their bell-tower cupolas to the Gothic arches that frame the wide and floor-to-ceiling windows opening to outdoors views from anywhere inside. “The words people use to describe it are ‘peaceful’ and ‘a place for reflection,’” says Kurt Podeszwa, the camp’s director. Not intended for any specific use, the chapel is where informal meetings are held by staff and secular activities, such as yoga and dance classes, take place. Still, he says, the space seems particularly suited as a meditative refuge. “It’s an especially beautiful place to be at dawn and at dusk,” he notes.
“Our approach to the interior was for each detail to reinforce the overall design,” says Boudreaux. “The detailing of the window frames within the laminated structure is all hand-crafted wood accomplished on site. The level of care and craft extended to the construction project manager personally installing the flooring.” Such attention to detail puts Grace Chapel in a class comparable to the hand-made churches of Central Texas, buildings created for communities where life focused on dedication to a larger purpose. As a result of such dedication, the latest addition to Camp for All can sustain its legacy of altruism and compassion in a new era.
denominational chapel’s modified cruciform plan and floor-level window openings help create a barrier-free building that offers everyone views to the outdoors. (this page) Tucked away in a corner of the 206-acre site, the chapel offers a quiet refuge from other high-traffic areas of the camp.
Stephen Sharpe is the editor of Texas Architect.
r e s o u r c e s concrete materials :
Keystone Concrete Placement; masonry units :
Inc.;
W.W. Bartlett,
architectural metal work :
Two Hills Studio, Inc.;
custom
light fixtures : Two Hills Studio,
Inc.;
pre- fabricated structural
wood : R.M. Rodgers, Inc.; architectural woodwork : Panel Tech,
Inc.; metal roofing : MBCI; wood and pl astic doors and frames :
Panel Tech ;
gl ass:
Specialized Glass; glazing :
Foster Stained Glass;
gypsum board : ings :
Ranger
decorative
USG;
wood ceil-
R.M. Rodgers, Inc.; wood
flooring :
Naylors Wood Floors;
design software : AutoCAD (Total
CAD Systems, Inc.)
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