Mullen and Mikolajczyk have the pontiff as their first client. Photo by Jennifer Molay.
When trying to win new business, an architect lives by the mantra “Know your potential client.”
Master’s students in architecture at Catholic University had to do just that when they found out Pope Benedict XVI could be a client on his first visit to the United States since assuming the papacy. In January, the Archdiocese of Washington and the university sponsored a contest to design the altar for the Pope’s mass at the new Nationals stadium on April 17, a day after he turns 81.
Of the 21 submissions, the one crafted by CUA students John-Paul Mikolajczyk, 23, and Ryan Mullen, 24, was chosen. Randall Ott, dean of architecture and planning at Catholic University, praises the winning design for its combination of respectful Catholic tradition and a modern style that complements the stadium setting.
The altar is a ten-by-four-foot wooden slab supported by a base with a repeated pattern of parabolic arches carved from aluminum. A chair with an eight-foot back, engraved with the papal coat of arms, and a nearly four-foot ambo include the same metalwork.
Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl sees it this way:“The design points to the movement and power of the Holy Spirit. Your eye is caught by the sense of motion.”
This article can be found in the April 2008 issue of The Washingtonian.
Designing an Altar for the Pope
Local architecture college students created the altar that will be used for mass when the Pope comes to town in April.
When trying to win new business, an architect lives by the mantra “Know your potential client.”
Master’s students in architecture at Catholic University had to do just that when they found out Pope Benedict XVI could be a client on his first visit to the United States since assuming the papacy. In January, the Archdiocese of Washington and the university sponsored a contest to design the altar for the Pope’s mass at the new Nationals stadium on April 17, a day after he turns 81.
Of the 21 submissions, the one crafted by CUA students John-Paul Mikolajczyk, 23, and Ryan Mullen, 24, was chosen. Randall Ott, dean of architecture and planning at Catholic University, praises the winning design for its combination of respectful Catholic tradition and a modern style that complements the stadium setting.
The altar is a ten-by-four-foot wooden slab supported by a base with a repeated pattern of parabolic arches carved from aluminum. A chair with an eight-foot back, engraved with the papal coat of arms, and a nearly four-foot ambo include the same metalwork.
Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl sees it this way:“The design points to the movement and power of the Holy Spirit. Your eye is caught by the sense of motion.”
This article can be found in the April 2008 issue of The Washingtonian.
Most Popular in News & Politics
The Missing Men of Mount Pleasant
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
Muriel Bowser Defends Her BLM Plaza Decision and Looks Back on a Decade as Mayor
Yet Another Anti-Trump Statue Has Shown Up on the National Mall
Want to Search Donald Trump’s Truth Social Posts? A New Site Is Here to Help.
Washingtonian Magazine
July Issue: The "Best Of" Issue
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?
The Culture of Lacrosse Is More Complex Than People Think
Did Television Begin in Dupont Circle?
Kings Dominion’s Wild New Coaster Takes Flight in Virginia
More from News & Politics
AC Problem Closes Four Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall
Epstein Files Fiasco Continues to Be Weird and Entertaining, GOP Congressman Sued Over Unpaid Rent, and Lotuses Hit Peak Bloom
I Tried to Train for American Ninja Warrior
Trump Wants to Rename Soccer, the Nationals Chose a Shortstop, and Virginians Are the US French-Fry-Eating Champions
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This July
The Washington Nationals Just Fired the Manager and GM Who Led Them to a Championship. Why Has the Team Been so Bad Since?
FBI Building Now on Track to Leave DC After All, Whistleblower Leaks Texts Suggesting Justice Department Planned to Blow Off Federal Court Orders, and NPS Cuts Leave Assateague Island Without Lifeguards
Families of DC Air Disaster Victims Criticize Army’s Response, Trump Settles His Scores Via Tariff, and Police Dog Kicked at Dulles Returns to Work