Holy Family Chapel Darien Center, Darien, IL

The Darien Center is a new two-story residence providing spiritual formation for both non-members and members of the Opus Dei. Reverence for the Holy Eucharistic was the guiding principle for JNKA’s neo-classical chapel design, which features a two-story volume articulated by Doric pilasters, a continuous entablature, and a vaulted ceiling, all arranged to accentuate the hierarchy of the chapel. A triumphal arch and interior stained glass windows frame the entrance, Stations of the Cross are housed by recessed niches along the Nave, and circular skylights accent the vaulted ceiling above. Solomonic columns project inward to denote the transition to the Sanctuary. The focal point of the chapel, the tabernacle, rests on an altar designed by JNKA which coordinates with a marble reredos framing a replica of Murillo’s Holy Family painting.