The Design
Positioned on its lot at 20 East Mermaid Lane, surrounded by woods, the new 8,500-square-foot meetinghouse will be L-shaped and honor the heritage of simple Quaker architecture. It will be positioned to take best advantage of sunlight and will occupy a modest portion of the total lot.
Exterior rendering of the Chestnut Hill Friends new meetinghouse.
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The spacious, light-filled meetingroom will have windows and a covered porch on three sides and a partially-retractable roof. The design for this part of the building has been overseen by James Turrell in order to create his unique Skyspace installation. At regular scheduled hours (weather permitting) the roof will be open allowing those sitting in silence on benches below to view the beauty of the changing sky.
Renderings of the interior of the meeting room.
During the day (left), and at dawn or dusk (right). Click each in turn to see a larger version.
The two-story section of the building will contain classrooms, a large social room, kitchen, bathroom and shower facilities, and office space intended to support Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting activities. A gathering room/library will provide another place for visitors to use. The simply landscaped 1.8-acre lot, not far from the Meeting’s current location, with a stand of pines and dramatic rock formations, will be open to the public. A peaceful garden, flower beds, a playground and woods adjacent to Fairmount Park will offer protected places for children to safely explore and adults to enjoy.
Site Plan
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