US NAVAL ACADEMY CHAPEL DOME REHABILITATION

Owner
NAVFAC / US Naval Academy

Location
Annapolis, MD

Awards
2023 Faith and Form: Religious Architecture Award - Restoration

2023 Copper Development Association: North American Copper in Architecture Award

2022 Metal Construction News: Project Excellence Award for Metal Roofing-Retrofit

Scale
38,000 sf

Program Value
$4.35 Million

Services
Design, Permit, Sustainability, Construction Administration

Reviews
SHPO

LEEDs
LEED Silver minimum

Project Type
Design – Bid – Build

Photographer
Anice Hoachlander

Traditional practice meets technology – the rehabilitation of a cultural masterpiece- the Naval Academy Chapel.

The United States Naval Academy (USNA) Chapel was designed by Ernest Flagg and constructed in 1904–1908. The dome was one of the first reinforced concrete domes built in the United States, and it was originally clad in decorative terracotta. The chapel, defined by its large dome, was a central part of Flagg’s master plan for the new Naval Academy campus in Annapolis, MD. However, within a decade of the original chapel’s completion, significant leaking at the dome was already observed, and in 1929 the terracotta was removed and replaced with copper. In 1938–1940, a nave, designed by Paul Phillipe Cret, was added to the northeast elevation of the building to expand the chapel’s capacity.

Moisture penetration continued to be a challenge at the chapel. The team sought to take a comprehensive approach to address these chronic moisture issues. The design team used a variety of surveying tools, including laser scans and thermal imaging, to guide the design of the renovation work. The proposed scope of work included replacement of the entire copper cladding at the dome and lantern, flashing replacement across the roofs, introduction of through-wall flashing and masonry sock anchor reinforcement at the parapets along the perimeter of the dome and nave, replication of the gold-leafed ornamentation, lightning protection system and installation of the custom-copper clad skylights and structural reinforcement.

Clearly, the rehabilitation of the US Naval Academy Chapel with its monumental historic relevance is now a shining beacon on the Academy’s campus which will last for the next 100 years.