New Cathedral in Los Angeles the Cathedral

¶ … New Cathedral in Los Angeles

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, otherwise known as the New Cathedral, in Los Angeles, has been heralded as one of the most significant buildings in the city. This structure marked the first time in more than three decades that a cathedral of such massive proportions had been built in America. Madrid-based architect Jose Rafael Moneo was commissioned to design the cathedral in 1996. Construction began two years later, and was completed in 2002. The following analysis will address the architectural influences of the New Cathedral, examining how it relates to other churches. Additionally, the many factors that shaped the architect's vision will be considered.

The massive Roman Catholic structure is positioned on top of the highest hill in downtown Los Angeles, and next to one of the nation's busiest freeways. The cathedral was designed to have broad public appeal, taking into consideration differences relative to religion, culture and ethnicity. This strategy was borne from a nationwide architectural sentiment, reflected in the design of public structures across the country, to provide a greater sense of communal investment (Wood, 12-13).

The challenge in designing the new Cathedral was to ensure that it reflected the diversity of all people. Instead of reiterating traditional designs of the Middle Ages in Europe, the Cathedral provides a modern expression of the 21st century Catholic peoples of Los Angeles. Moneo attempted to marry the concepts of sanctity and community, without compromising either. His design for the Cathedral offers somewhat of a spiritual filter, which lifts people above the chaos of the street and heals the soul. While Moneo's design is clearly abstract, it also echoes Roman Catholic tradition by arranging a cathedral, parish center, the cardinal's residence, bell tower and contemplative garden around an expansive plaza. The cathedral is an enormous, unadorned, modernist concrete shell. The building is spiritually compelling in part because of the starkness of its design (Ouroussoff, 63-65).

It has been a longstanding custom to design Roman Catholic churches in the abstract, to symbolize divine purity. For instance, the geometry of Alberti's Renaissance churches reflects a conviction in the mechanical order of God's universe. Moneo was influenced by this tradition in his design of the New Cathedral (Wood, 14).

Moneo manipulated the design of the structure to enhance the spiritual experience of visitors. Architecturally, shadow and light are used to mirror the impact apparent in the great gothic cathedrals. But, rather than pepper the cathedral with obvious gestures, he offers subtle views between the chapels to the main nave. In doing so, he creates a sense of anticipation of spiritual secrets. That anticipation is especially profound in the north ambulatory where the procession along the additional chapels is interrupted by long views out into the contemplative gardens.

Despite the use of inexpensive concrete for the main structure, as well as the minimalist design both inside and out, some critics have labelled the 3,000-seat, 333-foot-long cathedral as ostentatious. Designed to be one foot larger than St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City, it cost nearly $200 million to build (Ouroussoff, 65).

In putting the New Cathedral into an architectural context, Moneo has said, "There have not been many good examples of religious architecture in the last 100 years," and he explained that the past century has produced churches that were "good buildings, but not good religious architecture." (Rutten, 23-25)

The New Cathedral was not built with an historic legacy in mind. The architect was convinced by visits to churches such as St. Patrick's in New York and the great cathedral in Toledo, Spain, that their dual role as public buildings and houses of worship -- along with easy access from the street -- had undermined their original purpose. Instead, Moneo wanted to separate public worship from private devotion, but still offer opportunities for both.

Strategically placed 'buffer zones', such as staircases, plazas, colonnades, and a particularly unorthodox entry, all help to achieve this goal (Rutten, 23-25).