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This dignified historic church building presented a variety of architectural problems and the growing congregation was
feeling a space crunch.
The problems were typical for older buildings: the front steps were very steep and led straight into an undersized narthex; it
was hard to find your way around the building’s maze of hallways; multiple floor levels limited accessibility and the restrooms were not accessible.
Our first challenge was to develop a master plan to solve these problems to preserve the character of the existing church complex while modernizing it and adding new spaces.
Our solution was to begin with new front steps leading to a raised plaza which serves as a generous gathering space. Directly
inside, a new commons area augments the narthex. This commons plus a new corridor serve as the central spines for the circulation system from which the building now radiates. Part of the commons area can be partitioned off as a chapel for smaller events.
Two strategically placed elevators resolve the problems of multiple floor elevations.
New stone to match the façade is no longer available, so stone from the existing building that would have been hidden or
damaged for the new construction was “harvested” for reuse in the new façade.
A covered rear entrance leads into a foyer which serves the new consolidated administrative suite, conference rooms, and the
main corridor. From this foyer, access to the rest of the building can be controlled during off-use hours. HVAC improvements
allow control of the foyer and administrative suite to be independent of the remainder of the building.
Hughes Associates provided complete architectural planning and design services, detailed construction documents and construction administration services. |
