St. Lukes Cathedral

St. Lukes Cathedral

St. Lukes Cathedral

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PROJECT INFORMATION
TORONTO
2022
2022
DINSTINCTIONS

325 Magazine Feature | TMU Year End Show Feature

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PROJECT INFORMATION
TORONTO
2022
ACADEMIC
2022
DINSTINCTIONS

325 Magazine Feature | TMU Year End Show Feature

{ SCROLL }
INTRO

St. Luke’s Cathedral is conceived as a contemporary reinterpretation of ecclesiastical space, where light becomes the primary architectural medium. Rather than relying on monumental form alone, the proposal organizes the building around a sequence of spatial thresholds that gradually transition from opacity to illumination. The massing is restrained and monolithic, allowing the articulation of openings to define both interior atmosphere and external identity.

FORM DIAGRAMS

The church plan is defined by a traditional cruciform shape, reflecting the history and long established principles of sacred spaces.

DEFINE.

The church plan is defined by a traditional cruciform shape, reflecting the history and long established principles of sacred spaces.

DEFINE.

Large concrete columns make the central church both structurally and sculpturally expressive; a conventional characteristic of catholic churches.

FRAME.

Large concrete columns make the central church both structurally and sculpturally expressive; a conventional characteristic of catholic churches.

FRAME.

The two wings are recessed into the ground to allow for light and exterior access from the adjacent priory and community spaces.

RECESS.

The two wings are recessed into the ground to allow for light and exterior access from the adjacent priory and community spaces.

RECESS.

A sunken courtyard framed by the bell tower creates an interstitial space for pedestrians to observe and admire the building as well as the Toronto skyline. This also helps create a stronger link to the below grade, community spaces within the church.

DESIGN OBJECTIVES
Select Materials That Enhance Light Diffusion

Select Materials That Enhance Light Diffusion

Integrate Natural Light in Meaningful Ways

Integrate Natural Light in Meaningful Ways

Maintain Core Functions of Traditional Catholic Churches

Maintain Core Functions of Traditional Catholic Churches

INTERIOR ILLUMINATION

Internally, apertures construct a dynamic field of light that reinforces liturgical hierarchy without explicit ornamentation. The nave is defined by a soft lateral glow, while the altar is marked by a concentrated beam of light descending from above. Circulation spaces remain comparatively dim, heightening the perceptual contrast and emphasizing moments of arrival, pause, and reflection.

MATERIALITY

Materially, the cathedral relies on a limited palette—cast-in-place concrete, pale stone, wood, and lightly textured plaster—to amplify the effects of natural light. Surfaces are selected for their capacity to absorb, reflect, and diffuse illumination, allowing light to register as both spatial and temporal.