The Chapel of St. Ignatius

If the recently completed and highly praised Kiasma museum in Finland is architect Steven Holl’s largest and most public work to date, his much smaller Chapel of St. Ignatius in Seattle is his most private and, in many ways, his most inspiring. In it, we see distilled the themes and concerns taht have made Holl one of the most respected architects practicing today. This jewel-like chapel, while small, contains the essence of Holl’s vision-his interest in the phenomenology of space, his passionate investigations of form and material, and his use of reflected light and color. This book functions as a journal in the life of this extraordinary building. From Holl’s preparatory watercolor sketches, to design development and working drawing details, to construction shots showing the unique precast system, to a large photographic portfolio of the completed building, this book reveals Holl’s working method as well as the finished building. Essays by Steven Holl and client Fr. Jerry Cobb introduce the book. The color photographs present the unique aspects of the design and its details.