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Design Notes: Social Distanced Worship Seating The COVID-19 Pandemic has drastically changed worship services this year. Physical dimensions and seating capacity of church facilities will have a greater impact on how to safely come together as restrictions are lifted. One of the first considerations for maintaining proper social distance is determining the flow of people entering and exiting. First in/Last out is a […]

Design Notes: Mid-Century Modernism & Sustainability Escaping the dreary winter, I recently attended Modernism Week in Palm Springs which offered tours, lectures, and presentations featuring mid-century designed homes and other buildings. The mid-century modern design period was most prolific from the 1940’s to the 1960’s, and has gained a renewed interest recently. One iconic Palm Springs

Design Notes: Go Tell It On the Mountain! May the peace, love, and joyof this Christmas Seasonfill your heart throughout the New Year This sketch depicts the United States Air Force Academy Chapel near Colorado Springs, designed in the 1950’s by Walter Netsch Jr. of SOM.  Rising 150 feet from a stone terrace, and set against

Design Notes: USAF Academy Chapel Reconstruction The United States Air Force Academy Chapel near Colorado Springs was designed by Walter Netsch Jr. of SOM in the 1950’s and is one of my favorite contemporary religious worship buildings. I first visited this chapel in 2007, and again the past summer, when I discovered that it will be closed for the next four years

Design Notes: Roofing Master Plans Roof repair and replacement is a typical concern for most church properties. Faith Environ Studio Architects started work on a master plan in 2017 for this small Lutheran congregation in Illinois to replace many pitched and flat roof areas. Construction is now ready to begin in the spring of 2020.

Design Notes: Welcome Spring – Fixing Up with Quality Not long ago winter still had us covered in snow.Blooms are everywhere now as we begin construction season! FIXING UP WITH QUALITY  “Curb appeal” also applies to both the exterior and interior of school facilities and has a strong impact on new visitors. Repairs and remodeling projects that

Design Notes: Lighting Design Study This existing church worship space is planned to have new lighting that will be a major part of the renovation. EXISTING FLOOR PLAN NEW FLOOR PLAN As shown in this rendering, the worship space will be rotated 45 degrees with new pendant light fixtures installed to brighten the space. In

Design Notes: Silent Night May you carry the peace and joy of Christmas with you today and throughout the New Year! This drawing for the parish church, St. Sebastian in Ramsau, Germany, was created by Douglas Lasch. The church was built in 1512 under provost Gregor Rainer and was extended in 1692. It has a

Design Notes: Fall Maintenance Checklist for Churches and Parochial Schools Is your church property ready for winter? It is time to take care of problems like these! FALL MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST FOR CHURCH & PAROCHIAL SCHOOL FACILITIES PAVING Repair broken or spalled concrete walks and steps. Grind concrete walk joints that are raised and cause tripping

Design Notes: The Path Into Church Getting Into Church The physical path into church can affect how mentally prepared we are for worship. Traditionally the Narthex was a small entry space adjacent to a street with not much room to linger. Greeting was little more than a quick handshake or nod. Automobiles have dramatically changed the entry path for