CAMPUS BUILDINGS NEW CONSTRUCTION DEMOLITION FUTURE BUILDINGS PARKING ZONES UNIVERSITY PROPERTY CAMPUS DIRECTORY
The activity has followed a master plan for the campus that was in the works even before Hurricane Katrina. The catalyst, however, is an influx of monies from a federal loan program designed to help historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), FEMA funds, foundation grants, and some private funds earmarked for specific purposes (as in the case of the Chapel).
St. Katharine Drexel Chapel Up until October of 2012, a freestanding religious chapel on campus has been an elusive dream for most of Xavier University of Louisiana’s (XULA) history. That dream is now a reality – and one that exceeds original expectations. Designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli, the building is said to “embody Drexel’s traits of modesty, simplicity and spirituality.” XG Summer 2013
12
Built at a cost of more than $10 million [with all funds coming from private sources], the 11,000 square foot structure is situated next to the
University’s new pharmacy addition alongside the Interstate-10 Expressway bringing motorists to and from downtown New Orleans. The chapel, which seats 450, is contemporary in design, yet the sanctuary’s octagonal plan is rooted in traditional religious structures. Raised four feet above the grade, the building is reached by an 80-foot long sloping processional approach. This path is aligned with the original campus quadrangle and the site from which Pope John Paul II spoke in 1987. The design connects with the university’s tradition of building materials and color. Like the other buildings on campus, the chapel’s exterior is made of limestone. Its domed copper roof, which with time will change into a beautiful green color, has a large cross located strategically at its crest. Inside, the main sanctuary is 65 feet tall, with a ring of skylights which allows natural light to be diffused through a screen and illuminate the sanctuary.
Mass in the St. Katharine Drexel Chapel