AWARDS RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE / RESTORATION
Miami Beach Community Church Miami Beach , Florida
Jorge L . Hernandez , Preservation Architect , Coral Gables , Florida
RLA Conservation of Art + Architecture , Conservator Los Angeles , California
This restoration of architect Walter DeGarmo ’ s original 1919 Mission Style church , Miami Beach Community Church , reverses deterioration and restores the original layout , fabric , and finishes of the early masterpiece . The goal was to bring the church back as close as possible to its earlier appearance while addressing structural concerns and wear and tear . The most noticeable intervention includes a significant restoration of the front facade , which involved taking off added finishes and recreating lost decorative features in stucco and cast-stone mixes that mimic the original . Generations of repairs ( often executed in inappropriate materials such as concrete ) were removed . Investigation of the original colors allowed for recreation of the subtle tonalities of the 1919 palette , while using materials that are more resilient in the coastal climate .
Jury Comments A badly altered church has been reborn through sensitive detective work that has uncovered evidence of the original decoration and paint finishes . The result is a revived landmark that is true to the original design vision , updated to accommodate new uses . A beauty brought back to life .
Carlos Domenech Photographer
AWARDS LITURGICAL / INTERIOR DESIGN
Westin Miyako Kyoto Chapel Renovation Kyoto , Japan
KATORI archi + design associates , Architect Tokyo , Japan
The Westin Miyako Kyoto is an elegant hotel nestled into the foothills of the city ’ s Higashiyama district . This major renovation and earthquake-retrofit of the chapel , which occupies a separate building on the hotel property , took over two years . Much of the existing framework was utilized , adding a wooden ceiling lattice interwoven with indirect lighting to evoke sunlight pouring through trees ’ branches . The connection with the woods behind the building was underscored by reconfiguring the windows . Wooden louvers on the walls create a sense of depth and rhythm , tying the entire space together by linking to the ceiling lattice and ensuring the high quality , serene reverberations required in a chapel . As a show of respect for the remarkable natural surroundings , rock and wood take center stage in this sacred space imbued with a traditional Japanese aesthetic .
Jury Comments Westin Miyako Kyoto Chapel ’ s interior exudes a delicate touch in the latticework web that holds sunlight as if it were in a basket . The natural materials of stone and wood ground this sacred space in the earth ’ s beauty , lending a sense of timelessness .
Tomohiro Sakashita Photography
SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2021 21