The new Betty and Kenneth Hawkins Centennial Chapel is ONU’s central gathering space for its student body, faculty and staff. In addition to supporting regular campus events and worship services, it also hosts numerous performances, including high-energy praise bands, orchestra, choir, amplified concerts, and organ recitals throughout the year.

The highly integrated and high-definition audio-video systems and state-of-the-art acoustics complement the aesthetic of the space, attracting some of today’s most renowned performers and spiritual leaders, as well as patrons from the community and greater Kankakee area. At over 3,000-seats, the Centennial Chapel unites the campus under one roof, providing a much-needed place for the entire community to gather.

The premium audio-video systems support large-scale live-sound mixing, monitor mixing, video presentation, live image magnification and broadcast of events. The comprehensive video production suite backstage allows multi-camera productions with high-definition digital video switching, recording and editing. The building’s extensive technology infrastructure permits a wide range of programming for the University’s needs. It also anticipates an audio recording suite to be added in the future.

Project Details
Audiovisual Systems Design
Mechanical Noise Control
Room Acoustics Design
Sound Isolation
BLDD Architects, Architect, Bloomington, IL
Bill Conner Associates, Theatre Consultant, Oak Park, IL
75,000 gsf
3,059-seat auditorium; 2,313-seat main floor; 746-seat parterre
$25,000,000
Bourbonnais
IL