Project Description: This newly designed church is located in the rapidly growing city of Zachary, Louisiana. Over the last 15 years, this church parish has seen a significant increase in younger families and, as a result, needed a larger worship space. The firm was given a modest budget with which to work, while still needing to seat 800 parishioners. The committee charged the team with designing a contemporary worship space while still using design elements found in older churches. One of the opportunities that presented itself was a recently closed Catholic Church in Syracuse, NY. The Church in Syracuse was built in the late 1800s by Polish immigrants and served their community for over 100 years. As the city evolved, so did the culture of the area, and the church closed. Most of the team, including architects, committee members, contractor and priest, flew up to New York to examine and document these items. The team discovered hundreds of items ranging from chandeliers to altars to candle sticks that could possibly be re-purposed in our project. They were now tasked with the challenge of deciding how to weave these pieces into the context of the building and have them serve the community of Zachary for another 100 years. Building Area: 1 st floor 16,546 SF 2 nd floor 1,618 SF Chapel 884 SF Total - 19,048 SF Cost per Square Foot: $328 Construction Cost: $6,246,729 Date of Completion: May 2017 IA1.01
IA1.02 As you enter the nave of the new church building, pointed arches and exposed trusses lead you to the focal point of the church, the high altar. The stained glass windows along the side isles and raised windows allow for ample light to beam into the church and lead up to the altar. A spacious open floor plan allows for the entire congregation to participate and worship.
IA1.03 The cruciform shape of the church reflects the parish's desire to have a more traditional style church. The design team placed 5 marks in the flooring to designate the 5 wounds of Christ.
IA1.04 The exterior of the church was designed with a simple elegance modeling a clean yet traditional design. The arcade of arches and stained glass on the exterior of the building helps the visitors establish a rhythm walking up to the church which continues within the interior of the building.
IA1.05 The stained glass windows and station of the cross murals are just a couple of the many items that were salvaged from the retired church. During design, these items began to shape the style of the church as well as help with a tight budget. These windows can be seen from both the exterior main drive of the church and the interior.
IA1.06 The pews, altar, high altar, communion rails and baptismal font were carefully transported and restored to be included in the new church. The different finishes and craftsmanship all had to be reworked in order to achieve a cohesive aesthetic once complete. The design team was constantly challenged to create new details that met the needs of the new church and was still true to the style of the restored pieces.
IA1.07 The high altar features pointed spires portraying a more 12th Century gothic appearance. The altar table features a painted mural of the last supper that was from the original church in Zachary. Careful detail and effort was taken to care for the historic details of each existing component. Each item was restored to the same finish and installed in the new space. Much coordination went into detailing each installation to give glory to their original design.
IA1.08 New exposed wooden trusses and arched case work were designed to match the same finish and texture as the restored furnishings in order to create a visibly cohesive space. The color scheme of the walls, floor and ceiling was selected with a neutral ordinance to accent and contrast the detailed components.
IA1.09 The newly constructed building gives homage to the historic and restored components by providing a clean and bright overall background. The total design effort was successful by meeting the needs of the parish, doing it with limited dollars and giving a new life to the great works of a previous generation.