Images courtesy of di loreto Architecture.
Di Loreto Architecture, a Portland, Ore.-based firm that specializes in religious architecture, recently completed a unique funeral home addition and renovation for the Catholic community in the surrounding area at the Gethsemani Funeral Home.
"... a separate chapel was—and continues to be—capable of small liturgical services.” Christopher LoNigro, Project Designer, di loreto Architecture, Portland, OR
“The Gethsemani Funeral Home responds to the Archdiocese of Portland Catholic Cemetery’s desire to offer complete funeral arrangements and services,” says Christopher LoNigro, who served as project designer for the addition and renovation. “Previously, Gethsemani Cemetery only offered internment and memorialization arrangements, while a separate chapel was—and continues to be—capable of small liturgical services.”
Thanks to a 3,000-square-foot addition and renovation to its existing administration building, it now can offer preparation, arrangements, vigil services, and cremation.
“This building now approaches that solemn, warm, and contemplative sensitivity funerary architecture necessitates,” LoNigro says.
Photographer:peter eckert
In the beginning
With information and requirements acquired from the client, the Archdiocese of Portland, the many jurisdictional agencies, and his own research, LoNigro began sketching and jotting different ideas down for the project.
“Everything I learned pointed to the idea of a peaceful and hopeful transition for the dead, as well as their family and friends,” he says. “How do we express the permanence of our impermanence?”
“Everything I learned pointed to the idea of a peaceful and hopeful transition.... " Christopher LoNigro, Project Designer, di loreto Architecture, Portland, OR
His experience taught him that adding on to any existing building brings its own challenges, and this existing building was a great example of mid-century architecture and a desire for continuity made some decisions easier.
The original building was designed with a low flat roof line, large exposed beams, natural cut stone, vertical cedar siding, and large window openings to integrate the exterior and interior,” LoNigro says. “The new addition continues the low profile while increasing in height and volume at significant spaces/functions, including the vigil chapel and the chimney enclosure for the crematorium.”
The addition also incorporates large exposed beams and expands upon the existing structure’s palette of stone and wood. The vigil chapel became the figurative peaceful and hopeful transition allowing contemplation and celebration. It also became the literal central transition between public and private spaces, and the old building and the new. The plan and circulation revolved around this central space.
The vigil chapel became the figurative peaceful and hopeful transition allowing contemplation and celebration.
“The Vigil chapel allow moments of contemplative silence. Unseen is the expansive acoustical treatment in the voluminous vigil chapel,” LoNigro says. “This room greatly reduces outside/adjacent noise as well as absorbing most sound created within. As you walk into the room, it feels different; there is a noticeable calmness as your voice turns to a whisper.”
The design team accomplished that with strategically placed clerestory windows to the north, and a long slot window to the south. Additionally, light streams in allowing these moments of contemplation and reflection.
“Differing from the more celebratory mass of a parish church, the proportions and refined austerity of the chapel allows for more personal and emotional reflection.” LoNigro says.
Challenges of the floor plan
The floor plan is arranged to screen the private and public sections from one another, which allows funeral directors and staff unseen access to all rooms, while leaving services and mourners entirely undisturbed.
Photographer:peter eckert
LoNigro notes the construction challenges primarily originated from the continuation of the established low horizontal profile, eight-feet to bottom of framing.
“Keeping this low profile was structurally desirable to transfer the seismic loads of the existing building into the new construction, all without an unsightly seismic expansion joint or a more expensive structural option,” he says. “This low height, although easier structurally, created challenges with the routing of electrical and mechanical systems throughout the building.”
“Keeping this low profile was structurally desirable to transfer the seismic loads of the existing building into the new construction." Christopher LoNigro, Project Designer, di loreto Architecture, Portland, OR
Much of the new systems are concealed in new basement mechanical rooms, crawlspaces, and raceways supplying the rooms from below.
“Due to the existing cemetery vehicular paths and grade changes, only one facade of the building could be both the public’s main entrance and the service entrance,” LoNigro says. “To differentiate between the two, a new landscaped entry plaza provides a softer and more contemplative transition between the exterior and interior. The building’s main public entrance retains the existing covered glass entry leading to the renovated lobby, while the service entrance providing access for funerary vehicles is disguised within the exterior finishes.”
Much of the new systems are concealed in new basement mechanical rooms, crawlspaces, and raceways supplying the rooms from below.
Noteworthy design elements
Architecturally, the new addition continues the modest low roof line, but increases in height and volume only at significant spaces with two vertical volumes bookending the crematoria/services areas. This area, between these vertical volumes, houses the prep room, the cooler, the crematoria, and enclosed parking area for a hearse or van.
“To brighten the space for staff and the few families that wish to view the cremation process, we incorporated clerestory windows on both sides allowing natural light into spaces normally close closed off in a basement, garage, or in a separate building,” LoNigro says.
For those architects faced with a similar project, LoNigro recommends thinking about the importance of each particular moment and space for the mourning families before laying out a plan.
“Some moments are very difficult, some moments are reflective, while others are celebratory,” he says. “All three must be considered.”
“Some moments are very difficult, some moments are reflective, while others are celebratory,” he says. “All three must be considered.”
Project materials
The material selections were simple, LoNigro reports, since everything was based on the existing building.
“The exterior matched the stone and vertical T&G cedar from the existing building,” he says. “The only deviation was the upper exterior finish of the chapel, which was a semi-charred cedar.”
The interior floor is large grey-textured porcelain tiles in all public areas. In the private areas, a simple dark carpet tile was chosen. The wood wall at the entry is a light maple to match the wood trim of the existing building. All of the wood, walls and ceiling, is clear vertical grain fir.
Exterior
Stone (exterior & Interior): Arizona Sandstone; Mutual Materials
Wood Siding: T&G Cedar; Lakeside Lumber
Charred Cedar; Nakamoto Forestry
Windows: Pella Corporation; Medallion Industries
Interior
Wood: T&G CVG Fir; Lakeside Lumber
1x2 CVG Fir Slats; Lakeside Lumber
White Maple Veneer
Tile: Crossville ‘Buenos Aires Mood’; United Tile
Carpet: ‘Surround-Spaceworks’; Shaw
Paint: Sugar Dust; Miller Paints
Evermore; Miller Paints
