AWARDS RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE / NEW FACILITIES
Westbourne Park Baptist Church London , England
Allies and Morrison , Architects London , England
The Westbourne Park Baptist Church project integrates religious , community , and residential uses on a compact mixed-use site within a densely populated urban setting in west London . The main building brings together the Westbourne Park Baptist Church , a congregation of approximately 150 people from over 30 different nationalities , growing in number and community involvement . The congregation also hosts three ethnic churches ( Filipino , Brazilian / Portuguese , and Eritrean ), and it is home to a Montessori nursery and family center . Westbourne Park Baptist Church also has a new hybrid building with 32 high-quality , affordable apartments that provide funding for the new church , family center , children ’ s library , and community hall . This innovative and solution-based approach to redevelopment offers a model for other churches seeking to secure the future of small but thriving multicultural church communities . The building ’ s exterior reflects its multi-use character while also addressing its sensitive heritage and residential context .
Jury Comments Westbourne Park Baptist Church is a laudable model for future projects that use housing and community spaces to support the work of the religious organization . The delicate blending of sacred and secular architecture reflects the neighborhood ’ s diverse needs .
James Newton Photography
AWARDS RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE / RENOVATION
HONOR AWARD
St . Peter ’ s Parish Multipurpose Space Kansas City , Missouri
SFS Architecture Kansas City , Missouri
St . Peter ’ s Parish needed a new multifunction gathering space to host students and parishioners . By reimaging a little-used passage between a school and the church , a new 2,900-square-foot multipurpose space emerged . The new design provides an interior connection between the two structures ’ unaligned floor levels and allows daylight to pass through the church ’ s stained-glass windows . With its straight-forward language of structural silicon-glazed curtain wall , unadorned concrete columns , and timber roof structure , the addition is intended to be as transparent as possible . The design also acknowledges the rich , hand-hewn textures of the existing native-stone structures . Lightness and verticality are emphasized with tall , slender columns , curtainwall framing , and long vertical pendant fixtures in contrast to the surrounding buildings ’ weight and horizontal stone coursing . St . Peter ’ s Parish ’ s interior character is defined more by the existing limestone and the surrounding neighborhood ’ s tree cover .
Jury Comments St . Peter ' s Parish ' s creative approach to expansion demonstrates their ability to respect the existing architecture but not sacrifice its own identity . By leveraging space and current materials , the church ' s architecture was strengthened in the process .
Aaron Doughertyl Photography
SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2021 19