Chapels are the centerpiece for many campuses, being more than architectural landmarks; they are spiritual sanctuaries, historical time capsules, and cultural treasures that anchor a campus in tradition and heritage. Whether rooted in Collegiate Gothic, Victorian Gothic, or Neoclassical architectural style, college chapels showcase artistry and craftsmanship that elevate campus aesthetic and cultural experience.
Why Restore College Chapels?
Time, wear, and environmental conditions can fade their beauty and compromise their integrity. Restoring these sacred spaces requires a delicate blend of historical reverence, artisanal craftsmanship, and strategic planning. Left unaddressed, these issues may result in more extensive damage, greater restoration costs, or even temporary closure. Preserving campus chapels is more than maintaining a building; it’s about safeguarding a legacy. If you decide to restore a campus chapel, here are five main steps for the restoration process, start to finish.
(Left) Thomas Aquinas Chapel before Canning restoration (Right) After restoration
1. Assessing, Researching, and Analyzing
In order to execute a full chapel restoration, it may be necessary to establish a budget and allocate accurate funding, which can be a multi-year process. Along with fundraising, selecting the best restoration team should be finalized before any pre-construction planning takes place. Even the simplest of restoration projects can be complex, requiring the coordination of multiple different trades and teams, including the architect, owner, general contractor, and various tradespeople. Once the team is assembled, the process can begin.
Every successful restoration starts with a thorough understanding of the chapel’s history, materials, and current condition. Members of the assembled team explore historical documents, original blueprints, photographs, and prior restoration reports to understand the chapel’s evolution and original intent. The research goes hand-in-hand with analysis, both conducted before the brunt of the main restorative services.
Research and analysis can include a historic building conditions assessment, historic paint analysis and finishes investigation, mural conditions assessment, and plaster conditions survey. Below, we will briefly break down each assessment and its purpose, as they’re vital for a successful project.
Historic Building Conditions Assessment
This is an evaluation of the chapel’s physical state, aimed at identifying existing deterioration, structural issues, and material degradation. Depending on the chapel’s conditions, this can include engineers, architects, historic restoration specialists, etc., documenting and providing recommendations for repair, materials, and ongoing maintenance.
Archival Research Photos (areas of plaques highlighted) for Cannings’ restoration of Battell Chapel, Yale University
The physical condition assessment is on-site, and experts examine, investigate, and assess all relevant areas within a structure. If necessary, this can include off-site laboratory analysis of samples collected from the on-site assessment to identify and document historic materials.
Historic Paint Analysis and Finishes Investigation
A historic paint analysis and finishes investigation help determine the historic color palette and decorative paint schemes and finishes throughout the chapel’s interior. Many of which could have been covered up by previous renovations or repairs. This includes archival research, scientific analysis, on-site paint exposures, and finally, the interpretation and report. A historic paint analysis can involve microscopic examination, cross-section sampling, and pigment identification to reveal the historic color palette and decorative paint schemes. We also examine the paint coating condition for things like paint delamination, flaking paint, staining, etc.
(Left) Reveal of stencil pattern under plaque at the Battell Chapel. (Right) Battell Chapel exposure during the investigation process.
Mural & Artwork Conditions Assessment
This is a detailed evaluation of the physical and aesthetic condition of a mural, designed to identify deterioration, structural concerns, and past restoration work. This can involve photographing, sketching, and digitally archiving the mural’s current state, taking note and mapping out each flaw. This can include documenting any flaking paint, mold, and mildew, or past interventions. This process ensures there is a clear map of the next steps, which helps avoid any mistakes during restoration, and keeps a record of any previous damage and materials used.
A key part of a mural’s condition assessment is evaluating the substrate, the surface the artwork is painted on, to understand the mural’s long-term stability, potential deterioration, and suitable conservation strategies. This can include identifying the substrate material and construction, assessing the surface integrity, moisture, and environmental conditions, previous repairs or alterations, and so forth. Understanding the substrate’s conditions helps determine the root causes of the deterioration, develop non-invasive or minimally invasive stabilization methods, provide a recommendation for environmental controls, and determine whether structural repairs are necessary before mural conservation. All of which ensures the mural’s integrity and historical significance are maintained.
Mural cleaning using cotton swabs during Boston College’s St. Mary’s Chapel Restoration.
Plaster Conditions Survey
This is a thorough examination of historic plaster to assess its stability, integrity, and areas of deterioration. This examination evaluates issues such as cracks, delamination, water damage, and previous repairs using both visual inspection and non-invasive techniques. This evaluation helps determine if stabilization or consolidation of the plaster is needed. The survey provides essential data to guide accurate restoration and long-term preservation of historic ornamental and flat plasterwork.
One section of a plaster conditions report.
2. Developing a Detailed Restoration Plan
After all necessary studies have been completed, the next phase of pre-construction planning begins, where samples of any work to be done, mockups, or a series of drawings can be provided. Mockups can be done at multiple points during restoration projects, and come in various forms for different circumstances. Depending on the particular restoration plan, they can be created for the decoration and color palette, plaster finishing and ornaments, wood finishing, etc. Full-scale mockups can be provided on-site or done on a smaller scale in-studio, providing a proposed final execution based on the findings and research previously conducted. All of which can include recommended decorative finishes, materials, techniques, and design, ensuring accuracy, quality, and client approval before full-scale work begins.
Canning watercolor rendering for Thomas Aquinas Chapel restoration.
The chapel restoration process needs to be carefully conducted by the proper team to make sure the overall restoration strategy respects the chapel’s original craftsmanship and design. During the pre-construction phase, the restoration team works closely with the institution’s stakeholders to develop a detailed restoration plan, defining what elements need restoration and treatment (e.g., decorative plaster, murals, woodwork, stained glass, flooring, etc. ). Restoration efforts are coordinated around the academic calendar and ongoing campus activities. It’s key that all parties are continuously communicating with the owners and representatives of the chapel, providing estimated labor, materials, and contingencies with transparency and precision.
3. Preparing for Restoration Work
Before restoration work begins, any structural issues must be addressed, such as treating issues with water infiltration, installing climate stabilization measures, shielding areas with temporary coverings to safeguard art, altars, and other artifacts from dust and debris, and so forth. Depending on the chapel’s needs, many avenues can be taken to ensure the building’s safety, protecting the building’s historic fabric and components.
4. Restoring the Chapel
This is the heart of the project, where historic artistry is brought back to its former glory. Based on the approved design and architectural agreements from the owner, restorative services finally occur, like historical molding, repainting decorative designs, regilding ornamental pieces, and more. Other steps can include cleaning, in-painting areas of loss, restoring or recreating gold leaf and painted patterns, repairing woodwork, and so forth.
(Left) Latex cleaning on historic cast stone (Right), Brush cleaning on historic cast stone.
There are many steps to be done during this process, as it’s composed of the main restorative services. Depending on what is necessary, this can happen over a few months, a year, or even longer. The overall complexity involved, the size of the space, the conditions of the building, as well as available access are some of the things that can determine the timeline.
(Left) Canning in-studio production for the stencil decorative paint scheme for Thomas Aquinas Chapel (Right), Canning in progress decorative finishes work for Battell Chapel.
Throughout all stages in restoration, documentation is ongoing. Each intervention is photographed and logged to provide a lasting record for future caretakers.
Working on some of the Battell Chapel’s decorative finishes.
5. Final Review
Once restoration is near completion, final walkthroughs and approvals are done to ensure all work meets standards and the institution’s goals. This can include final adjustments, additional treatment, decorative painting, etc. Through these five essential steps: investigation and analysis, detailed project planning, preparation, skilled restorative techniques, and final review, your chapel is bound to be a community landmark that continues to inspire the campus for generations.
(Left) Battell Chapel before Canning restoration (Right) After restoration.
At Canning, we approach each chapel project with a deep respect for its history and purpose. Our work is never one-size-fits-all; we tailor restoration strategies to align with each chapel’s unique architectural identity. Our work not only revives buildings; it helps institutions reconnect with their heritage and commitment to values for generations to come. When a chapel is preserved, so too is the soul of the campus.
If you have a project you would like to discuss, please contact us.
