Explore Project Categories

religious   /    library    /   education    /   office     /   planning    /   civic    /   special    /  restoration


Church of St. Clare

The Beginnings Of Our Church Renovation Project

 In 1998, we were hired by the Church of St Claire. We took an innovative approach to the work providing them more functional spaces without adding to the building’s footprint and accommodating their budget in this Catholic church renovation.  Laster, when it was time to restore and renovate their sanctuary, they again turned to us for help.  The church renovation task was to re-invent their space from a dark relic sanctuary. Like many of our other Catholic church renovations, we worked with the church committee and its congregation in order to restore the church to its once vibrant and lively interior so many of the older members of the congregation remembered.

Our goal in this church renovation was to restore the church within the tight timeline and budget given. We began on January 6th and the project needed to be completed in time for Easter Mass. Together, our team and the building committee developed a list of desired renovations; this was a critical step. We wanted to make sure the priorities aligned with the congregation and committee's needs.   Using their list and budget, we were able to prioritize the necessary renovations and begin. 

Our Church Renovations

The most important priority for the committee was lighting. The lighting was poor and it was impossible for anyone over 55 to read anything in the sanctuary. The second priority was acoustics and sound. The quality of the sound system had degraded over the years, and between the crackle of the speakers and the acoustic echoes, mass for most parishioners was a garbled mess. The final priority was aesthetics; as part of the church renovation, we needed to remove the work of past renovations and restore the altar to its previous glory. We directed the re-lamping and replacement of lighting, installation of a new sound system and acoustic panels, restoration of the tabernacle and altar furnishings, and restoration of the wall behind the crucifix. 

Our attention to detail, clear and complete documents, and ability to communicate clearly with the owner and contractor led to the success of this church renovation project. Not only were we able to finish the project within budget, but we were also able to finish in time for Palm Sunday’s mass. 

< < Back to Religious / Cultural Projects

Looking to Start a Project?

Contact studioTECHNE | Architects & learn more about our process