The 2025 Chronicle

CHAPEL EXTENSION PROJECT

Founded by James Cameron Todd as a Christian school, Michaelhouse has long centred its identity around the Chapel, which has served as the spiritual and geographic heart of the campus. Despite the rapid changes in the world, the Chapel remains a vital source of hope and continuity for our staff and boys, rein forcing our values and traditions. Although this most recent expansion has been on the grandest scale since the project undertaken in the early 1950s, this is not the first time Michaelhouse has outgrown its chapel which has been relocated and has undergone various expansion proj ects since the school’s arrival in 1901 at its current location in Balgowan. The existing chapel, part of which was originally designed and built by Sir Herbert Baker in the early 1900’s and expanded twice in the following three decades before the major extensions carried out in the early 1950’s had become too small to practically accommodate the community’s needs because of the incremental growth in the number of boys at Michaelhouse in recent years. Long time school architect and Old Boy of Michaelhouse, Nic Grice applied thoughtful architectural planning to the sympa thetically contemporary expansion which has masterfully pre served the Chapel’s beauty and intimacy ensuring that it re mains a relevant and cherished space for future generations. The extension project was completed during the Michaelmas Quarter and has been used for occasions including the annual confirmation service, but the rededication attended by Bishop Nkonsinathi was hosted on Friday afternoon 12 September. The article below is reproduced in full with kind permission from the Impact Report 2024/2025 . For further information, please contact Frances Bolttler - devoffice@michaelhouse.org . The rhythm of progress at Michaelhouse has remained steady throughout 2024 and 2025 - a year marked by careful steward ship of resources and a continued commitment to developing our estate. Each project this year reflects a balance between modernization and the nurturing of academic and community life within an environment rich in culture and heritage. THE NEW CHAPEL The expansion of the Chapel was one of the most significant undertakings of 2025, reaffirming its role as the spiritual heart of Michaelhouse. As an Anglican school, the Chapel embodies the Christian ethos that underpins every aspect of campus life. With increased capacity, enhanced acoustics, and a sensitive preservation of its historic character, the Chapel now offers an even more welcoming space for worship, reflection, and com munity gatherings. Its renewed presence reminds us that while THE RHYTHM OF PROGRESS: MICHAELHOUSE IN 2025

our buildings evolve, faith remains the enduring foundation of our shared journey. The generosity of our donors ensures that Michaelhouse con tinues its long heritage of transforming the lives of talented boys.

RENEWING THE SPIRITUAL HEART OF MICHAELHOUSE

Written by Jason McCormick

Few building projects undertaken by Michael house in recent decades have captured the attention and the imagination of the school community quite like the expansion of the chapel. For 125 years, the chapel has stood at the spiritual centre of life at Michaelhouse: a sacred space where generations of boys and Old Boys have gathered in worship, reflection and celebration. The original chapel, designed by Sir Herbert Bak er, was constructed in 1901 when the school moved from its original home in Loop Street, Pietermaritzburg to its present campus in Balgowan. As the school grew, however, the chapel soon proved too small for the expanding community. In 1955 the building underwent its first major enlargement, a project dedicated to the 128 Old Boys who lost their lives in the Second World War. In recent years, Michaelhouse once again reached a point where the chapel could no longer comfortably accommodate the full school. During Full School Eucharist services, one boarding house was required to sit in the crypt beneath the chapel in order to allow the remainder of the boys and staff to gather above. While workable for a time, this arrangement ultimately meant that the entire school could not worship to gether in one space - and that members of the wider Michael house community were often unable to attend services due to lack of capacity. The vision to expand the chapel once again therefore emerged: a project aimed not simply at increasing seating, but at restor ing the ability of the full school community to gather together in a shared act of worship. Given the central role the chapel plays in the spiritual life of the school, the project was approached with great care and sensi tivity. Under the guidance of school architect Nick Grice (Far field, 1968), several design possibilities were explored. Two principal concepts were considered. The first proposed a cruciform layout, extending two horizontal “arms” from the al tar perpendicular to the existing structure. The second option involved widening the chapel through the addition of two side chapels running the full length of the building. While architec turally elegant, this approach presented significant technical

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