Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

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The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels opened in 2002, replacing the quake-damaged Cathedral of Saint Vibiana. Designed by Pritzker Prize-wining architect Jose Rafael Moneo, the $190 million post-modern project is controversial for its massive exterior of brownish concrete that gives it a fortress-like aesthetic. However, the expansive interior with its open altar has drawn nearly universal praise. The campus serves as the headquarters of the Los Angeles Archdiocese.



Developer:

Archdiocese of Los Angeles


Architect:

Jose Rafael Moneo Architects, Madrid


Contractor:

Morley Construction Co., Santa Monica


Engineer:

Nabih Youssef & Associates, Los Angeles


No matter the current troubles of Cardinal Roger Mahony, to put it simply: without L.A.’s longtime archbishop there would be no Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.


So it makes sense that the new home of the L.A. Archdiocese has been given nicknames that play on Mahony and the church’s mammoth size and scope from “Rog Mahal” to “Taj Mahony.”


The cathedral, the anchor on the northern side of the Grand Avenue corridor that includes other architectural gems such as Walt Disney Concert Hall, was completed in 2002.


Without doubt the imposing $190 million project bears the imprint of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jos & #233; Rafael Moneo, but it was still Mahony’s show. He had a final say on every decision.


“We have a three-person absolute dictatorship here,” Mahony told the Business Journal before the church was completed. “Myself, Monsignor Terrance Fleming and Brother Hilariom O’Connor. Nobody does anything without our say-so. That’s what keeps things in check.”


Mahony, who visited the site nearly every day while it was under construction, did more than keep things in check.


After the 1994 Northridge Earthquake damaged the former home of the archdiocese, the smaller Cathedral of Saint Vibiana near Little Tokyo, the church considered repairing and restoring the structure.


But Mahony decided that the archdiocese need a far larger, grander home and never wavered from that decision despite criticism that he was spending far too much on the project. Mahony said he saw the cathedral as a project that would help create a vibrancy in the area.


“In our case, we’re building a cathedral in a non-bustling situation and we are reaching out to form partnerships with business to renew and re-create what used to be a bustling downtown,” he said.


The cardinal’s enthusiasm was contagious among the community, which contributed over $130 million toward its construction in response to a funding drive. The money allowed the church to install expensive touches on the project.


For example, sculptor Robert Graham created the ceremonial bronze doors, which cost $3 million. Then there are 27,000 square feet of alabaster stone windows, the largest installation of its kind in the world.


Mahony, a native Angeleno who was born in Hollywood and was bishop of Stockton before becoming the archbishop of Los Angeles in 1985, also remembered his roots in commissioning construction of the building.


The massive, 12-story high building was designed to last 500 years withstanding earthquakes along the way, including a direct hit by an 8.4 magnitude temblor. In such a catastrophe, it also would serve to shelter residents.


“This is essential if the building is to last, especially in Los Angeles,” he said.



– EXECUTIVE ARCHITECT: EDMUND C. BUCH



Vice President, Leo A. Daly Architects



Notable Projects:

Sprague Hall Biomedical Laboratory, University of California, Irvine; College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Building, University of California Riverside


Cathedral:

“A great owner, along with a great design and construction team made the project a success.”


Local Favorite:

Kathryn Gustafson’s 600-foot-long bridge at the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa


L.A.:

“(The city needs) more public parks and continued development of the mass transit system.”

Architecture: “Southern California is a great place to be an architect.”



– CONTRACTOR: DAVID SELNA



Senior Project Manager, Morley Construction Co.



Notable Projects:

Renovation and seismic remodel of 9720 Wilshire Blvd.; parking structure at Cedars Sinai Medical Center


Cathedral:

“The Cathedral was bold in its scale and proportioning, elegantly combining architectural concrete, alabaster, stone, wood and copper. The architectural concrete was very demanding from a construction standpoint. The walls are so thick the concrete had to be kept from overheating during the placement process. Achieving a consistent concrete color during 250 individual concrete wall pours required very strict quality controls.”


Local Favorites:

U.S. Bank Tower, Disney Concert Hall, Bradbury Building, Getty Center and Getty Villa



– ENGINEER: NABIH YOUSSEF



Principal, Nabih Youssef & Associates Structural Engineers



Notable Projects:

Skirball Cultural Center, Getty Villa, Apple Store at the Grove


Cathedral:

“A higher goal was explicit from the outset. In this case, it was to protect the future heritage of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the next 500 years and to provide refuge for the people of Los Angeles in case of a seismic event. The building has posed the biggest and most comprehensive challenge for Nabih Youssef & Associates to date.”


L.A.:

“(We) see a bright future for downtown, where we are currently involved in several prominent projects.”


Engineering:

“In working with so many talented professionals over the years, I have learned to cultivate my own tradition of teamwork. To begin, the collaborative process is where challenges are first met and where innovation and elegant solution arises out of complex ideas and dialogues.”



– DEVELOPER: CARDINAL ROGER MAHONY



Archbishop, Archdiocese of Los Angeles



Cathedral:

“It sinks its foundations in the very heart of the City of Los Angeles where it will stand and soar for many centuries as a sign of God’s enduring presence in our lives and community,” Mahony said during the 2002 dedication.


L.A.:

“Los Angeles is a large, world-class city, but it (had) no great church, regardless of denomination. We see the cathedral as not just the Archdiocese’s church but also as the community’s church,” Mahony said in an interview.


Church Architecture:

“Throughout history, cathedral churches have always existed in a bustling downtown central area. In our case, we’re building a cathedral in a non-bustling situation and we are reaching out to form partnerships with businesses to renew and recreate what used to be a bustling downtown,” Mahony said in an interview.

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