St. Cecilia School Chapel

Location: Broussard, Louisiana
Size: 12,253 sf

As part of St. Cecilia School’s 100 year anniversary, ACSW was asked to design phase one of a four phase capital campaign. This phase one addition was to be the most visible and socially connective new building on the campus. Integrating cutting edge construction and informational technologies into an historic campus was a unique challenge. Containing a new chapel, new library and new classrooms, this Phase had the unique opportunity of being both the religious and intellectual heart of the campus. The end result is a structure that bridges the gap between the old and the new in a way that gives reverence to the historic context of the old facility but connects to the opportunities of technologies now and into the future. The vision for this school involves a total reorganization of the campus flow. This facility is to be the “main entrance” for the students and parents and is the first part of a campus reorganization aimed at reigning in uncontrolled growth over a long period of time. The introduction of this facility also claimed and created outdoor pockets for better use of the exterior. By this approach, we were able to provide a more secure environment while incorporating better play areas and communal interactive space. We were constantly mindful of the school’s importance to the community during the entire project and coordinated the concerns of several community leaders with the needs of the school during the entire process. The result is a facility that supports both the community and the school.