The "Ave Maria Pass" Revisited

Last week at this time, we touched upon the building of a new location for Ave Maria University in Naples, Florida.

Following the unveiling of plans to build an iconoclastic glass structure for a chapel, and a town that is effectively an automobile-dependent "Catholic suburb," three architecture students from Notre Dame came up with an alternative.

The overall site plan proposed by the students, breaks up the suburban monotony into neighborhoods scaled more to people than to cars. Access from residential to commercial to educational usage is more apparent, and more typical of how towns -- specifically college towns -- develop.

The chapel, designed by Matthew Enquist, applies a style of architecture more suited to the climate and heritage of the region. "[O]ur architecture should evolve from the Spanish mission style, which can be found as a regional architectural type... We really enjoyed exploring what kind of architecture and campus environment would reflect the culture and tradition of a Catholic university in Florida," said Enquist."

Besides, it even looks like a church. Duh...

Both the library of the campus, designed by Ryan Nicholson, and the civic center, designed by John Doyle, further reflect the mission style and Catholic heritage which is appropriate to the project. As Michael Rose points out: "The university is divided into two major parts: one centers around the library and its traditional mall quad; the other is arranged around the church in the best of medieval fashion. The civic center... functions as a link that ties these two campus neighborhoods together. It also provides a place for students and townies to meet and intermingle, drawing the town into the university."

The above is a more livable, and from a cultural standpoint, more Catholic solution, than the one put forward by University officials.

How will the University react to this alternative proposal, if at all?

What is it that makes an alternative like this "more Catholic" than another, in terms of inculcating a particular way of life, simply by virtue of the setting??

What is it like for a Jesuit to admit to being wrong about damn near anything???

Stay tuned...