Sacred Heart Catholic Parish

The Sanctuary at Sacred Heart Catholic Church was designed by Irving Gill and dedicated in 1920. The project improves the rest of the campus facilities, while respecting the historically designated church. The project added a new Parish Hall, Chapel and renovated Parish Offices, all fronting onto an arcade wrapped central courtyard on a very tight site in Coronado, CA. It was paramount that the fabric of the historic church be preserved and not detracted from, and that creative solutions were sought to bring light into the space. The new facilities took ques from Gill’s building color, materials, and subtle ornamentation. Additionally, the improvements maintained the visual hierarchy of Gill’s church. The courtyard is purposefully clean, simple and unadorned to respect its context. It embraces the southern California climate and serves as an unencumbered outdoor gathering space that is often enjoyed by families during outdoor worship experiences.

A focal point of the courtyard, the new Chapel invites visitors and creates a connection among the buildings on campus. The Chapel interior uses natural light and stained glass to create an ethereal effect of the ascendency of God and religion, while still maintaining privacy. The lower windows lift the space and block the view of the adjacent alley, and the simple gabled roofline floats over 360-degree clerestory windows, drawing eyes up to heaven.  Inside of the Chapel is a simple, flexible Worship space for 50 occupants. A Tabernacle, crafted by Artesanos Don Bosco, serves for all day adoration as well as daily Mass. The Tabernacle is flanked by two tapestries of St. Francis and St. Claire de Asis, crafted by Slabbinck. The Simple Crucifix, Altar, and Ambo, also artfully fabricated by Artesanos Don Bosco, are made from cherry wood. The flooring in the Chapel was salvaged, cleaned, and repurposed from the old original church, moved onto the site in the late 1800’s.

The new Parish Hall fronts onto the courtyard and is tucked into the rear corner of the site, to not compete with the massing of the Church.  The Parish Hall will seat 230 for banquets, is divisible for smaller group use and has a stage with full A/v appointment to support both Parish and the adjacent Parochial elementary school programs.  There is a full service kitchen, new sound and data system for the campus as well as solar panels to complete the features of the Hall.