24 DIGS.NET | 7.5.2019
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Y
et another son of Honolulu, and the father
of Tropical Modernism, built urston
Memorial Chapel in 1966—Vladimir
Ossipoff. In applying his mastery of the midcentury
modernist form with the touch of a pluralist (Ossipoff
was born in Russia, raised in Japan and educated in
California), the architect designed the chapel to
create the impression that is rises up from Punahou's
famed Lily Pond. He did this by lowering the floor to
bring the chapel physically closer to the pond, which
was formed from a natural spring; part of the pond
has always been integrated within the chapel walls.
It is a credit to Ossipoff 's stunning calculation of site
and surroundings that the chapel so beautifully and
seamlessly assimilates with both lands and lives.
At a 1967 dedication to the chapel, Ossipoff
offered keynote remarks that detail the finer points
of his design for a congregation he described as
"an ebullient group of youngsters." Intending "to
subdue just a bit, their high spirits, which tend to
have a correspondingly high noise level, we have
purposefully subdued the internal lighting," he
said. Of the chapel's court side Ossipoff referenced
generous eaves extending from the building, with
one going down a few steps to "gain shelter as a little
chick must do when seeking shelter under its mother
hen's outspread wings." He called the exterior court
and lanais a "Hawaiian Cloister."
One is quite right to appraise urston Memorial
Chapel as an intersection of art, architecture and
spiritual shelter, with its mix of materials and light
infusing the building with reverential warmth. e
reserve of the design, which is humanly scaled,
ensures that the judicious use of aesthetics serve
this soothing purpose. Made from koa wood and
sculptured panels of copper repoussé inspired by
student-suggested scenes, the entrance doors are
especially memorable; from the hundreds suggestions
offered, 32 were presented to artist Jean Charlot and
from his original drawings they were completed in
copper by island artisan Evelyn Giddings. Also
glorious are the panels of stained glass by artist Erica
Karawina. Combined with the architecture's play of
light and shadow, its responsiveness to nature and
contribution to Hawaii's visual and spiritual culture,
urston Chapel is a source of inspiration in every
possible respect. punahou.com
(FROM TOP)
MIDCENTURY
ARCHITECT VLADIMIR
OSSIPOFF DESIGNED
THURSTON MEMORIAL
CHAPEL TO BE THE
SPIRITUAL HEART OF
PUNAHOA SCHOOL IN
HONOLULU. BUILT OVER
THE INSTITUTION'S
FAMED LILY POND, THE
STRUCTURE IS MADE
TO LOOK LIKE IT RISES
ABOVE THE WATER.
DESIGN SIGNATURES
INCLUDE INTIMATE
INTERIOR SPACE,
COLORFUL WINDOWS
AND NATURAL SPRING
WATERS INTEGRATED
INTO THE CHAPEL.
