United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel
A parade marching past the Cadet Chapel on Founder's Day, 2019
General information
Type	Chapel
Architectural style	Mid-century modern
Location	U.S. Air Force Academy, near Colorado Springs, CO
Coordinates	39°00′30″N 104°53′25″W / 39.00830°N 104.89025°W / 39.00830; -104.89025
Construction started	1959
Completed	1962
Height	150 feet (46 m)
Technical details
Structural system	Folded plates
Floor count	2 floors
Design and construction
Architect	Walter Netsch Jr., Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Main contractor	Robert E. McKee, Inc.
Awards and prizes	AIA National Twenty-five Year Award U.S. National Historic Landmark, 2004

United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property

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Location	United States Air Force Academy
Built	1962
Architectural style	Modern Movement
Part of	United States Air Force Academy, Cadet Area
NRHP reference No.	04000484
Added to NRHP	April 1, 2004

The United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel is a very special building. It was finished in 1962. You can find it at the Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs. This chapel was designed by Walter Netsch from a company called Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The building work was done by Robert E. McKee, Inc..

When it was first built, some people didn't like its unusual design. But over time, it became famous as a great example of modern style. In 1996, it won a special award from the American Institute of Architects. Then, in 2004, it was named a U.S. National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical place.

Building the Chapel: Design and Materials
- Big Renovation Project
Worship Areas: Many Faiths Under One Roof
See also

Building the Chapel: Design and Materials

The organ at the back of the Protestant chapel, and the ceiling

The most amazing part of the chapel is its seventeen tall, pointy spires. The first plan actually had twenty-one spires, but they had to reduce the number to save money. The building is made from a strong steel frame. This frame uses 100 identical shapes called tetrahedrons. A tetrahedron is a 3D shape with four triangular sides. Each one is 75 feet (23 meters) long and weighs five tons!

These huge tetrahedrons are covered with aluminum panels. These panels were made in Missouri and brought to the site by train. The tetrahedrons are placed one foot apart. This creates spaces in the frame that are filled with one-inch (25 mm) thick colored glass. The spires themselves are filled with triangular aluminum panels. The parts between the spires have colorful glass pieces set in aluminum frames.

The chapel itself is 150 feet (46 meters) tall, 280 feet (85 meters) long, and 84 feet (26 meters) wide. At the front, there's a wide granite staircase. It has steel railings with aluminum tops. This staircase leads up one floor to a landing. Here, you'll find golden aluminum doors and panels that match them.

The main building and the land around it cost $3.5 million to build. Many of the things inside the chapel, like the pipe organs and decorations, were gifts. These came from different people and groups. In 1959, people at Air Force bases all over the world even gave money to help finish the inside of the chapel.

Big Renovation Project

Temporary "hangar" built over the existing structure, September 11, 2022

The chapel closed in September 2019 for a huge renovation. This project costs $158 million. It's needed to fix water damage. The original plans for the chapel included special rain gutters under the aluminum outside. But these were not built because of budget problems. Instead, the spaces between the panels were sealed with caulk.

Even though the seals were fixed many times over the years, decades of leaks caused a lot of water damage inside. During the renovation, a giant temporary "hangar" was built over the chapel. The cadets call it "The Box." This allows workers to remove the aluminum panels and stained glass. They are installing the rain gutters that were planned long ago. The chapel's furniture and pipe organs are also being cleaned and fixed.

The project was first supposed to be done by November 2022. But in November 2021, they found more asbestos inside the chapel than expected. Asbestos is a material that needs special removal because it can be harmful. This means the project will take longer. The renovations are now expected to be finished in 2027.

Worship Areas: Many Faiths Under One Roof

The Cadet Chapel was designed to hold three different worship areas. They are all under the same roof. The architect, Walter Netsch, was inspired by chapels in France and Italy. He stacked the spaces on two main levels. The Protestant chapel is on the upper level. The Catholic and Jewish chapels, along with a Buddhist room, are below it. Even further down, there's a larger room for Islamic services and two meeting rooms.

Each chapel has its own entrance. This means that different services can happen at the same time without bothering each other.

Protestant Chapel

Interior of the Protestant chapel

The Protestant chapel is on the main floor. It can seat 1,200 people. The main area, called the nave, is 64 feet (20 meters) wide and 168 feet (51 meters) long. It reaches up to 94 feet (29 meters) at its highest point. The center aisle leads to the chancel, which is the area around the altar.

The chapel's tetrahedron shapes form the walls and the pointy ceiling. Stained glass windows create colorful lines between the tetrahedrons. These colors go from darker to lighter as they get closer to the altar. The chancel has a curved, colorful screen called a reredos. It has semi-precious stones from Colorado and marble from Italy. This screen covers 1,260 square feet (117 square meters).

The most important part of the chancel is a 46-foot (14-meter) tall aluminum cross. It hangs above the altar. The pews, where people sit, are made of American walnut and African mahogany wood. Their ends are shaped like World War I airplane propellers. The backs of the pews have an aluminum strip, like the edge of a fighter jet wing.

At the back, above the entrance area (called the narthex), there's a choir balcony and an organ. This organ has 83 ranks and 67 stops, controlling 4,334 pipes.

Catholic Chapel

Interior of the Catholic chapel

The Catholic chapel is located below the Protestant chapel. It can seat about 500 people. The main area is 56 feet (17 meters) wide, 113 feet (34 meters) long, and 19 feet (5.8 meters) high. The main feature of the Catholic chapel is its reredos. This is a large glass mosaic mural designed by Lumen Martin Winter. It uses different shades of blue, turquoise, rose, and gray to show the sky.

On top of this mural are two 10-foot (3.0 meters) tall marble statues. These show the Annunciation, which is when the Archangel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary she would have a baby. Mary is on the left, and Gabriel is on the right. A marble dove is above and between them.

In front of the reredos is the altar. This was a gift from Cardinal Francis Spellman. He dedicated the Catholic chapel on September 22, 1963. The altar is made of white Italian marble. It sits on a marble cone-shaped stand. Above it is a six-foot sculptured cross made of nickel-silver.

Along the side walls are the 14 Stations of the Cross. These were also designed by Lumen Martin Winter. They are carved from thick marble slabs. The figures are made from Carrara marble, which is the same type of stone Michelangelo used for his sculptures. The pipe organ in the choir loft was designed by Walter Holtkamp. It has 36 ranks and 29 stops, controlling 1,950 pipes.

Jewish Chapel

Interior of the Jewish chapel

The Jewish chapel is also on the lower level. It can seat 100 people. It is circular, with a diameter of 42 feet (13 meters) and a height of 19 feet (5.8 meters). It has a vertical grill with clear glass inserts that open to the foyer. The round shape and clear walls are meant to look like a tent. The floor is made of Jerusalem brownstone, which was given by the Israeli Defense Forces.

The walls of the foyer have purple stained glass panels. These are mixed with green and blue accent windows. The circular walls of the synagogue are made of clear glass panels. These are separated by posts of Israeli cypress wood. The paintings inside were done by Shlomo Katz in 1985 and 1986. They show a Biblical story. They are divided into three groups: brotherhood, flight (to honor the Air Force), and justice.

The main focus of the Jewish chapel is the Aron Kodesh. This is where the Scrolls of the Torah are kept. To the right of it hangs the Ner Tamid, a lamp that is always lit. In the chapel's foyer, there is a display case with a Torah Scroll that was saved from the Nazis during World War II. It was found in Poland in 1989 and given to the Jewish chapel in April 1990. This "Holocaust Torah" honors everyone who fought against the Nazis.

Muslim Chapel

The Muslim chapel is on the lower level. It welcomes Muslims from all groups. The mihrab, a special niche, is made of wood and holds the Quran and other Muslim books. The walls are decorated with Middle Eastern wooden art. The floor has blue and yellow designs from the Middle East.

Buddhist Chapel

Interior of the Buddhist chapel

The Buddhist chapel is a separate hall inside the Cadet Chapel. It was donated in 2007. It is 300 square feet (28 square meters) and welcomes Buddhists of all groups. The altar has a statue of the Buddha from Burma. Near the entrance, there is a figure of Avalokiteśvara.

Falcon Circle

Dedication, 6 May 2011

The Falcon Circle is the newest worship area in the Cadet Chapel. It was dedicated in 2011. It was created because followers of Earth-Centered Spirituality asked for a space. This includes traditions like Wicca, Paganism, and Druidism. It is open for any religious group to use, as long as they respect other faiths.

All-Faiths Rooms

The All-Faiths Rooms are worship areas for smaller religious groups. They are kept simple, without any religious symbols. This way, many different faiths can use them. Special items for each faith can be brought in for their services.