Two environmental and interior design students met with Marianist brothers in late February to propose a new design for the Mystical Rose Oratory (MRO) patio. The Environmental + Interior Design department at Chaminade University was approached by the Marianist community earlier in the school year to create a new design proposal for the patio. The Marianists wanted a space that was both beautiful and functional and could be used for large campus and community gatherings.
Two students, Aurelia Vining ‘20 and Jacqueline Harbin ‘20, met with the Brothers from both Chaminade University and St. Louis School to determine their needs and wants. The current patio space has 1,700 sqft. of useable space, and they wanted to increase that. They wanted something low maintenance that was protected from the sun and included lots of natural lighting.
The two students worked closely with their professors to create two design options that both increase the useable space to 3,000 sqft. The first, titled “Petals,” played off the rose design of the MRO, extending the petals from the roof of the MRO onto the patio. The second, titled “Contrasting Lines,” was inspired by nature and focused on celebrating the surrounding natural landscape.
The Brothers will now bring the two design options back to the Marianist community for input and will continue to work with the students for alterations and refinements to the designs moving forward.