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Diane Gregg Memorial Pavilion

History

The original design of Agnes Flanagan Chapel at Lewis & Clark, commissioned of noted modernist architect Paul Thiry in 1967, included a small side pavilion. This pavilion was not built during the original construction, but creating it has long been a goal of many Lewis & Clark community members who saw a need for increased performance and worship space. In 2007, Lewis & Clark commissioned Boora Architects to evaluate the performance venues on campus and determine what renovations or additions would be necessary to make the facilities suitable for high caliber performances by the students, faculty, and visitors of Lewis & Clark. At Diane Gregg’s memorial service the same year, Glenn Gregg announced that his family would fund the Diane Gregg Memorial Pavilion, to be built adjacent to the chapel. The pavilion would immediately be recognized as a space that would open up new possibilities for many of Lewis & Clark’s programs. Its dedication on April 17, 2011 was the culmination of a long-cherished vision for the chapel.

Features

The Diane Gregg Memorial Pavilion completes Paul Thiry’s original architectural design for the Agnes Flanagan Chapel. The pavilion’s footprint and its overall size and shape remain exactly as Paul Thiry envisioned, but parts of its design have been updated to meet the demands of modern construction and the multiple uses that the pavilion serves.

The pavilion was designed to be a room to fulfill many needs - a place for small religious gatherings, music and dance performances, lectures, and receptions. It includes movable seating for up to 138 people and state of the art audiovisual technologies.

Where the chapel is inwardly focused, Gregg Pavilion is open to the outside world, allowing in abundant natural light. The pavilion’s design allows those inside to look out into the forest, and passersby may glimpse into the building and see the activity taking place within.

The building extends the exterior palette of the chapel through the use of custom-made brick. In order to match the existing brick as closely as possible, clay was sourced from manufacturers located in Oregon, California, Utah, and Washington. The colors were inspired by the patterns of Native American textiles.

Much of the wood in Gregg Pavilion is Douglas Fir that was milled from five trees that were located where the pavilion now stands. Five thousand board feet of lumber were produced, and 3,000 board feet were incorporated into the building. The wood was used for a slat wall in the hallway and the figured screen wall in the middle of the room. The figured screen wall is designed to meet the acoustical needs of the room, and the maple sprung floor is specially designed to allow for dance performances. The shape and size of the space also provides for a perfect place for regular Labyrinth walks, a form of walking meditation and prayer.