The Cathedral of the Holy Cross

This project was selected as an Honor winner in ARCHITECT's 2022 Architecture & Interiors Awards, Architecture: Historic Preservation category.

“The best designers and builders of their time originally created the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. The love, respect, and talent that it takes to preserve such a structure shows the nobility of the design profession.” — Juror Joey Shimoda, FAIA

Boston’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross is the largest Catholic church in New England. The comprehensive renovation and remodeling of the 1875 Patrick Keely-designed Gothic Revival landmark in the city’s South End by locally-based Elkus Manfredi Architects reimagines the structure’s previously dark and foreboding interior as a luminous beacon for the greater Boston Catholic community as the church approaches its sesquicentennial.

With the church’s original drawings lost, the architects used detailed laser scans to create a new 3D digital model of the building. New interior finishes maintained qualities of light and permanence, including new white and light grey marble floors throughout. The nave was reconfigured for greater accessibility while maintaining the overall seating capacity of 1,900, and the sanctuary was redesigned to remove elements from an overcrowded 1980s renovation. The architects designed a new family of liturgical appointments and furnishings, including millwork and artwork, for the church.

The wooden trusses carrying the ceiling were cleaned and sealed, with an earlier edge treatment of maroon paint replaced by gleaming metallic gold that emphasizes the church’s original detailing. New M/E/P systems, including energy efficient lighting, air conditioning, audiovisual, broadcast, and TV, have been seamlessly integrated within the building.

PROJECT CREDITS
Project: The Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston
Client/Owner: The Archdiocese of Boston
Architects: Elkus Manfredi Architects, Boston. David P. Manfredi, FAIA, LEEP AP – Principal-in-Charge; John Mitchell - Associate, Project Manager; Cathy Naughton, AIA, LEED AP – Senior Associate, Senior Designer / Project Architect; Michael Haggerty, AIA – Construction Administration Coordinator; Brittany Locke, AIA, Well AP, Fitwel – Project Designer; Mark Naher – Visualization Artist; Marco Anciano – Visualization Artist
Architect of Record: Elkus Manfredi Architects
Construction Manager / Owner’s Project Manager: Suffolk
Interior Designer: Elkus Manfredi Architects
Liturgical Consultant: Baker Liturgical Art, LLC
Structural Engineer: MacNamara Salvia Structural Engineers
M/E/P Engineer: WSP
Civil Engineer: VHB
Acoustics & Audio Visual: Acentech
Stained Glass Restorer: Lyn Hovey Studio, Inc.
Code: Jenson Hughes
Architectural Art Restoration: Ever Green Architectural Arts
Lighting Designer: HDLC Architectural Lighting
Total square footage of the Cathedral: approximately 61,600 square feet
Total square footage of Elkus Manfredi’s renovation: approximately 35,000 square feet
Cost: Confidential

Selected Products/Materials

• Nave floor stone tiles: “Aquasol” honed quartzite, supplied by East Coast Interiors
• Sanctuary platform floor, stone tiles and dimensional stone steps: checkerboard of “Gioia Venatino” (white) and “Danube” (lt. gray) marbles with “Gioia Venatino” dimensional stone steps, supplied by Stone Source, Boston.
• Floor leveling and tile underlayment products supplied by Laticrete.
• Interior and exterior LED accent lights supplied by Lumenpulse and Amerlux.
• Interior wall paint supplied by Benjamin Moore.
• Polished brass handrails and stanchions at interior sanctuary: Julius Blum and Co.
• Wrought iron interior rails: Julius Blum and Co.
• Decorative metal grille for radiator covers, floor return, and wall diffusers: Advanced Architectural Grille
• Polyolefin upholstery fabric for kneelers: Sherpa & Shire