Roberts chaplet

This unique project was done in collaboration with Marjorie Schlossman, a Fargo artist, who commissioned Michael Burns, AIA, to design a transportable, spiritual space to feature her art.

The cedar slatted walls capture the ever-changing light and shadow, suggesting both a separation from and a connection to the surrounding environment. The translucent panels at the north end not only provide the softly lit backdrop for the suspended painting but also symbolize our connection to our Creator—“He’s very close, but do we know that He is really here?” The barrel-vaulted translucent roof sits atop five, three-legged aluminum trusses and is held in place using a series of equally spaced cables.

The stipend for the project was $25,000, which included all design and construction costs. Since August 2006, the Chaplet has been featured at the ND Museum of Art in Grand Forks and at the West Acres Shopping Mall in Fargo, ND. The intent is to place the Chaplet in any community, park, or field throughout the State of North Dakota.