
Religious




St. Mark Parish, New Church, Admin Building, Colonnade Connector, Site Development Southwest Ranches, FL
The project entails a new 1,200 seat church, a narthex building, and administrative facilities. Set in an existing parish context with existing school facilities, a new covered walkway forms a courtyard within the center of the parish to link all new and existing buildings, as well as to provide covered connections to parking at either side of the parish site. The church has a centrally planned seating arrangement with a surrounding ambulatory. In this manner, we created interior circulation around the sacred precinct analogous to and yet inverse to the configuration of the exterior circulation that feeds the parish’s facilities. An ample narthex building serves all gathering functions and meeting needs.




St.Patrick Church Addition, Renovation, Restoration Miami Beach, FL
The St.Patrick project entailed the complete and comprehensive renovation and restoration of this South Florida landmark.
The sanctuary was extended forward in order to decrease the distance between celebrant and congregation. Former shrine areas were reconfigured to open up the sanctuary. Thereby providing natural light and better access to the sanctuary and providing a context more supportive at the various liturgical functions located there, including the baptistry. Finishes were repacked throughout, including a new cedar plant ceiling. Wood, stone, and stucco create a closely coordinated material palate. Moisture damage was mitigated throughout. All systems were replaced. Lighting included new chandeliers and facial lighting on a dimmer system.
At the exterior, a major new element of the church was created by the addition of an elevated terrace at the front entrance approached by both monumental staircase and ramp. New St. Mary and St/ Patrick shrines were added to the sides of the terrace at grade to engage pedestrians approaching the church.







St. James Cathedral Restorations, Renovations, Additions Orlando, FL
In an odd interpretation of Vatican ll directives, this seat of the Bishop of Orlando and 1951 downtown landmark had been gutted and shorn of any possible indication of Catholic association by renovations performed during the 1980s. Our mandate was to resuscitate the devastated sanctuary and establish the inspiration and decorum required at these sacred envisions., To bring the celebrant closer to the congregation, the predella was extended into the nave.
Seating was significantly increased by adding a transept. The Daily chapel was replaced with massing in mirror symmetry to the transept. A choir and instrumentalist mezzanine was added to house the choir and musicians. Finishes and systems, including lightning and HVAC, were comprehensively replaced and upgraded. The original extensive precast trim and detailing, including the rose window at the church entrance were restored, replaced, or added to so as to systemic reinstate and reinvigorate the approach to detailing employed originally. A new entrance plaza comprised of stairs, ramps, and terraces was created to ameliorate procession and to provide a transition between interior and exterior where gathering can occur.