ZIEGLER COOPER
Essay 20.6
Here’s the Church Here’s the Steeple So can you tell me, where are the people?
Here’s the
Church
Here’s the
Taking your vision and making it a tangible community asset
Steeple
So can you tell me where are the people? We investigate how churches have taken advantage of the current slow down to improve their campuses and facilities.
Standing with you to continue the work in unprecedented times
During this time, the Church is finding new ways to worship and serve; logging in remotely; socially distancing in larger spaces; or meeting outdoors on lawns, pavilions, or even parking lots for drive-thru services. As worship places, halls and classrooms sit vacant, churches are taking the opportunity to improve their campuses. It may simply be servicing existing systems or facilities that need some TLC, but others have been blessed with continued faithful giving and are adding spaces, anticipating the need for the time when the Church gratefully returns.
Listening from a heart of stewardship to deliver excellence
1. St. Stanislaus – Anderson St. Mary – Plantersville Two historic churches in the beautiful hills of Grimes County are looking to their future and planning to welcome home their congregants with some big changes. St. Stanislaus is preparing to restore their 1917 brick church to its original glory including refinished hardwood floors, altar furnishings, and lighting. The restoration also reveals an enlarged Narthex and Parish History Center. Neighboring St. Mary Plantersville, whose 1917 painted church has already been beautifully restored, is complementing the restored church with an adjacent hall and kitchen to match its clapboard character.
2. FBC Friendswood FBC Friendswood is projecting a bold new image to their community with a multi-purpose commons area serving as a lobby, welcome center, and fellowship hall, as well as connecting the surrounding buildings to provide better security and wayfinding. The addition features a bell tower visible to the main street and houses an historic bell from the original 1956 church bell tower.
3. Our Lady of LaVang The Vietnamese community of Northside, Houston continues to grow, welcoming the newest generation of Vietnamese American citizens, so the Parish looked to expand. After reworking the master plan to allow the religious and cultural education program to grow in an efficient new building, the vision is becoming a reality. The large new education building complements and unites the architectural style and cultural character of the existing church and Dominican Center and delivers 34 new classrooms for Spring 2021.
4. St. Matthias Magnolia is the next pearl on the string of development westward along SH 249, and the church of St. Matthias is getting ready to welcome new parishioners in the Spring of 2021. Along with extensive site development of the new campus, phase one of the master plan is the new 988-seat church and a 200-seat daily mass chapel. The design draws inspiration from the century-old churches of the near East Central Texas Area. The new church infuses the traditional Gothic design – inclusive of 14 individual chaplets containing lifesize marble statues of Saints and the Holy Family – with the Twenty-First-Century need for a large 2
gathering narthex.
5. Simonton Community Church Simonton Community Church is helping to welcome visitors to their church building with a new multi-purpose lobby. The new lobby design both helps maintain temperature control in the sanctuary building and allows for hosting of small receptions. Special attention to detail preserves the country character of the white siding and gothic stainedglass windows. A bell tower similar to one from the 1941 chapel is also added as a small prayer room and houses a relocated rose window from the church building.
6. Zion Lutheran The community in Walberg, Texas is growing and modernizing and so a new flexible worship and hall space is being connected to their traditional church building. The new addition features an exposed roof design and allows lots of natural light and views to the preserved heritage trees. When entering the expanded space, visitors will now be greeted with an historic wall mural linking the old and new structures, as well as a coffee bar in the lobby. There is also a serving window to the kitchen, and a worship space that is able to double in size in the future.
WORSHIP
EDUCATION & COMMUNITY STUDIO
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Steve Lucchesi, AIA Eric Korth
Ken Cvejanovich
Stephanie Kaup
Gabe Olmos
Christopher Bent
Tung Pham
Lead by Senior Practice Area Leader, Steve Lucchesi, AIA, the Worship, Education & Community Architecture Studio of ZCA brings to the table more than 32 years of religious and educational planning and design experience, with more than 200 clients. The Worship, Education & Community Architecture Studio is comprised of a group of people who love architecture and take pride in our work. We are passionate about partnering with our clients, but more importantly, our work isn’t just our job—we have the incredible honor and privilege to join with you as you build communities and bring people together. Knowledge is the foundation of a successful project, so we’ve put together a database of tools, tips, and frequently asked questions to help you get started.
Senior Principal A graduate of Texas A&M University, Steve has more than 32 years of experience in architectural design and management. His work has received several awards and has been internationally published. He is a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Buildings Committee at the Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park. As Education, Worship and Community Senior Practice Area Leader, Steve is responsible for the general administration and review of projects. His clientele includes religious institutions, municipalities and civic organizations, and educational establishments. Ziegler Cooper Architects 700 Louisiana, Ste 350 Houston, TX 77002 t: 713.374.0000 www.zieglercooper.com