'Stunning' New Montco Chapel Wins International Award

LOWER GWYNEDD TOWNSHIP, PA — A chapel in Lower Gwynedd Township has been named the winner of an international contest honoring religious architecture.

The brand new Immaculate Conception Chapel, built to house the relocated historic St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, is located on Evans Road near Gwynedd Mercy University.

The award from the nonprofit "Partners for Sacred Places" recognizes the intersection of spirituality and construction. Dozens of projects from nine countries were considered.

"The way this new interior successfully incorporates consecrated objects from the previous campus is impressive," the jury wrote in awarding the "interior design" prize to the local structure. "The chapel respects the heritage and traditional liturgy of the seminary while also seeming bright, fresh, and forward-looking. The chapel’s nave and tabernacle are stunning."

Center City-based Voith and Mactavish Architects built the new Immaculate Conception Chapel in 2024. The design pays careful attention to light, shadow, and proportion in an effort to "elevate liturgical experience."

The redesign had the weight of history on it. The original Immaculate Conception Chapel in Lower Merion Township, adjacent to St. Joseph's University, had served the seminary community for 155 years.

“These projects stand at the forefront of religious art and architecture," said Kevin Block, a spokesperson for the Partners for Sacred Places. "They were shaped by professionals who understand design as an act of service, both to faith communities and also the wider social fabric these communities help to sustain."

The new chapel uses stained glass carefully salvaged from the old campus, along with other relics like carved pews, Stations of the Cross, statues, and more.