Studies and Sketches

These are developing ideas. We've already made some changes to what is sketched here, but you'll see a good idea of the design and appearance we are working on. I'm told I made some strange noises when I first saw some of these images. Perhaps in a moment you'll understand why!

Here is a proposed site plan. The left side of the image is North. On the south side (right) you can see the covered drop-off entrance. The Church's cruciform shape is obvious from above. A walkway to the gym and one near the school complete a cloister-courtyard. Minor changes already considered: handicapped parking will be on the drive-through at the south end rather than on the street, and the walkway at the main (west) entrance will be straight to the sidewalk rather than curved.

This floor plan gives an idea of how the seating will be arranged. The second floor is shown at bottom. The baptistery is one thing still under discussion. As shown, it is in the north transept and is very prominent in size. Sacristies flank the sanctuary. The rectangles in the sanctuary show locations for a main altar and the reredos. Dotted-line rectangles in the seating area depict open space for wheelchair/handicapped presence. The small solid squares beside the pews represent the columns of an arcade, which you will see in sketches below. At the west end is the narthex and intervening space for stairs, elevator, storage, a confessional, and a room that will serve as a cry room / bride's room.

View facing south. Note the apse at the east end and the smaller sacristy between the apse and transept. Protruding toward us from the transept is the baptistery. The door just to the left of the baptistery will be under one of the covered walkways defining the cloister. The other side of the cloister is seen coming out of the tower (more visible in the sketch below).

View from the west, facing east from the ballfield. The tower as shown tops off somewhere in the neighborhood of 120 feet, including the cross recovered from the site after the tornado. The upper spire is pre-fabricated and placed by crane. Below that is the masonry tower. Louvers at the bell deck are pictured up high. Under them is pictured a large window, which is still under consideration for various reasons including the nature of the space behind it. Behind the tower and narthex you can see the transepts coming out. I was happy to note that there will be a hatch accessing the top of the masonry part of the tower, up above the roofline. I think I have my new spot for watching baseball games. 

We are inside the church now, standing at the south transept and looking at a longitudinal cross-section.  Lots of glass, right? That's a good project for years to come; the really great churches are completed over time. Initially they will likely be clear or shaded glass. Under the rose window the baptistery is shown. The columns and arches at lower left form an arcade. There is about four feet behind those columns to the wall (see floor plan above.) On the right is the apse and sanctuary; you can see the front altar and reredos silhouetted.

A study of how the cloister might be formed. The goal is to design this feature in a way that is noble and harmonious with the church, but able to be crafted and assembled by us to a large degree. I look forward to working on that project!

OK. Whew. I can't express how happy these sketches make me. I'm trying to contain it because, while our architects are very serious about designing to our budget, the bids aren't in and neither are the pledges. If it is God's will and yours, it can happen.