Jose Rafael Moneo - Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

Jose Rafael Moneo
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
Los Angeles, California

This Feature is sponsored by: Ålborg White

"The architecture is measured to the pace of the mind's eye, and with each step you are forced to make a mental adjustment, as if purging yourself of trivial distractions."
Nicolai Ouroussoff
Los Angeles Times

The Cathedral of Our lady of the Angels is the third largest cathedral in the world and the first cathedral to be built in the United States in over a quarter of a century.

Photo: arcspace

Approaching downtown Los Angeles on the Hollywood Freeway, the former Camino real route used by Spanish missionaries in the 18th century, the grand scale of the adobe colored concrete building with its 150 feet tall campanile (bell tower) and tall cross behind the altar become visible.

Photo: arcspace

The large Cathedral Square is only accessible through gates along Temple Street or from the underground parking structure.
A "carillon wall" with bells reminiscent of Mission style churches faces the street.

Photo: arcspace

Moneo was very conscious of not wanting the entrance to the cathedral to be directly on the street. From Temple Street visitors will travel a spiritual path, each step a transition from the secular to the sacred, through a lower plaza, up the grand staircase, through the upper plaza and on toward the great 25-ton bronze doors crowned by a contemporary statue of the Virgin.

Photo: arcspace

Proceeding through the monumental doors, designed by Los Angeles sculptor Robert Graham, visitors enter the 200 feet long south ambulatory that runs the length of the cathedral from east to west.
Passages between a row of asymmetrical chapels lining the ambulatory allow for framed views of the main sanctuary.

Photo: arcspace

Turning right at the end of the ambulatory, past a 17th century Spanish Baroque altarpiece, visitors enter the huge 58,000 square foot Nave with seating for 3,000 people. Light flooding in through the east window silhouettes the large concrete cross above the Altar.

Photo: arcspace

The figures in the 27 earth colored tapestries, designed by John Nava, include contemporary teenagers as well as canonized saints. Lamps above the pews, resembling downward aiming trumpets, hold small speakers and light bulbs.
The organ is the largest pipe organ west of the Mississippi.

Photo: arcspace
The granite Baptismal Font

The walls are polished concrete, the 85 foot high ceiling cedar wood, the floors Spanish sand-colored limestone, the pews wood. The soaring space is illuminated by windows composed of 24,000 feet of thinly veined Spanish alabaster.

Photo: arcspace

Along the wall in the north ambulatory a long window reveals the cloister garden and the 150 feet tall campanile (bell tower) with room for 18 bells that, once installed, will make the Cathedral of the Angels heard 3 - 4 miles away.
At this moment 3 of the bells are installed.
Stairs lead to the Mauseleum in the basement.

Photo: arcspace

In the spacious Mausoleum, one of the largest cathedral burial vaults in the world, the stained glass windows soften and sanctify the rows of crypts. The basement also holds the St. Vibiana's Chapel.

Photo: arcspace

The Cloister Garden is full of oak and sycamore that, once grown, will shade the walkways and fountain.

Photo: arcspace

Moneo had very little influence on the 24,000 square foot rectory for the Archbishop, resident clergy, and visitors, and the 46,000 square foot conference center and offices located at the eastern end of the site.

Photo: arcspace

Owner: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Design Architect: Jose Rafael Moneo
Executive Architect: Leo A Daly
Area: 5.6 acres
Total square feet: 195,000
Parking: 600 cars
General Contractor: Morley Construction
Structural Engineer: Nabih Youssef Associates
Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Engineer: Ove Arup Partners.
Pipe Organ: Dobson Organ Builders, design by Jose Rafael Moneo
Concrete: Lehigh, lborg, Denmark

Photo courtesy Moneo Office
The Model with the Bell Tower (campanile).

Photo: arcspace

During construction, in 2000, when the Cathedral was nearing its final 11-story height you could see the great concrete buttresses rising on either side of the planned nave.

One of the most challenging requirements is for the new Cathedral to withstand the test of time. The project team utilized advanced strategies to achieve a lifespan of no less than 500 years for the structure and building systems.
The building has been designed to withstand an 8.4 point Richter scale earthquake (not yet experienced in Los Angeles). The entire building sits on base isolators, which means that the whole building can move about 24 inches in each direction during earthquakes. The hole with the isolator pads are covered by an overlapping site floor that will allow the building to move back and forwards during an earthquake.

September 16, 2002

Jose Rafael Moneo arcspace features





				Features
		Jose Rafael Moneo Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Los Angeles, California This Feature is sponsored by: Ålborg White "The architecture is measured to the pace of the mind's eye, and with each step you are forced to make a mental adjustment, as if purging yourself of trivial distractions." Nicolai Ouroussoff Los Angeles Times The Cathedral of Our lady of the Angels is the third largest cathedral in the world and the first cathedral to be built in the United States in over a quarter of a century. Photo: arcspace Approaching downtown Los Angeles on the Hollywood Freeway, the former Camino real route used by Spanish missionaries in the 18th century, the grand scale of the adobe colored concrete building with its 150 feet tall campanile (bell tower) and tall cross behind the altar become visible. Photo: arcspace The large Cathedral Square is only accessible through gates along Temple Street or from the underground parking structure. A "carillon wall" with bells reminiscent of Mission style churches faces the street. Photo: arcspace Moneo was very conscious of not wanting the entrance to the cathedral to be directly on the street. From Temple Street visitors will travel a spiritual path, each step a transition from the secular to the sacred, through a lower plaza, up the grand staircase, through the upper plaza and on toward the great 25-ton bronze doors crowned by a contemporary statue of the Virgin. Photo: arcspace Proceeding through the monumental doors, designed by Los Angeles sculptor Robert Graham, visitors enter the 200 feet long south ambulatory that runs the length of the cathedral from east to west. Passages between a row of asymmetrical chapels lining the ambulatory allow for framed views of the main sanctuary. Photo: arcspace Turning right at the end of the ambulatory, past a 17th century Spanish Baroque altarpiece, visitors enter the huge 58,000 square foot Nave with seating for 3,000 people. Light flooding in through the east window silhouettes the large concrete cross above the Altar. Photo: arcspace Photo: arcspace The figures in the 27 earth colored tapestries, designed by John Nava, include contemporary teenagers as well as canonized saints. Lamps above the pews, resembling downward aiming trumpets, hold small speakers and light bulbs. The organ is the largest pipe organ west of the Mississippi. Photo: arcspace The granite Baptismal Font The walls are polished concrete, the 85 foot high ceiling cedar wood, the floors Spanish sand-colored limestone, the pews wood. The soaring space is illuminated by windows composed of 24,000 feet of thinly veined Spanish alabaster. Photo: arcspace Along the wall in the north ambulatory a long window reveals the cloister garden and the 150 feet tall campanile (bell tower) with room for 18 bells that, once installed, will make the Cathedral of the Angels heard 3 - 4 miles away. At this moment 3 of the bells are installed. Stairs lead to the Mauseleum in the basement. Photo: arcspace Photo: arcspace In the spacious Mausoleum, one of the largest cathedral burial vaults in the world, the stained glass windows soften and sanctify the rows of crypts. The basement also holds the St. Vibiana's Chapel. Photo: arcspace The Cloister Garden is full of oak and sycamore that, once grown, will shade the walkways and fountain. Photo: arcspace Moneo had very little influence on the 24,000 square foot rectory for the Archbishop, resident clergy, and visitors, and the 46,000 square foot conference center and offices located at the eastern end of the site. Photo: arcspace Owner: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles Design Architect: Jose Rafael Moneo Executive Architect: Leo A Daly Area: 5.6 acres Total square feet: 195,000 Parking: 600 cars General Contractor: Morley Construction Structural Engineer: Nabih Youssef Associates Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Engineer: Ove Arup Partners. Pipe Organ: Dobson Organ Builders, design by Jose Rafael Moneo Concrete: Lehigh, lborg, Denmark Photo courtesy Moneo Office The Model with the Bell Tower (campanile). Photo: arcspace During construction, in 2000, when the Cathedral was nearing its final 11-story height you could see the great concrete buttresses rising on either side of the planned nave. One of the most challenging requirements is for the new Cathedral to withstand the test of time. The project team utilized advanced strategies to achieve a lifespan of no less than 500 years for the structure and building systems. The building has been designed to withstand an 8.4 point Richter scale earthquake (not yet experienced in Los Angeles). The entire building sits on base isolators, which means that the whole building can move about 24 inches in each direction during earthquakes. The hole with the isolator pads are covered by an overlapping site floor that will allow the building to move back and forwards during an earthquake. September 16, 2002 Jose Rafael Moneo arcspace features