HONOR AWARD FOR RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE: NEW FACILITIES
Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
& National Shrine Santiago Calatrava-Festina Lente and Koutsomitis Architects PC New York, NY
Alan Karchmer
Founded in 1916, the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine is the anchor for a vibrant New York neighborhood. The original building was destroyed on September 11, 2001, during the World Trade Center attack. The new church reopened in 2022 as a place for remembrance.
The Hagia Sophia – inspired dome features 40 windows and 40“ ribs,” the same number of ribs in St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, which are visible from the interior. The church façades are Pentelikon marble from Greece, which is the same stone used for the Parthenon. Stone cladding at opaque façade areas are 2.5-inch-thick panels anchored to the building’ s concrete structure. Façades incorporate translucent panels with thin stone sandwiched between glass plates. The lighting design allows the church to read as solid stone by day and to glow at night.
The entrance is through an arch that spans the stair towers on the west façade. The main altar lies under a central dome, at the center of which is the image of Christ. The iconographic paintings were executed by a priest-monk from the Greek Monastery of Xenophontos on Mt. Athos and brought to New York City for installation.
JURY COMMENTS: This is a spiritual jewel in the middle of the city. It is historic and modern at the same time, expressing timeless qualities of sacred space in a modern way. Like a diamond, it glows from inside.
AWARD FOR RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE: NEW FACILITIES
St. Andrew Methodist Church, Hasley Chapel GFFdesign Plano, TX
The stand-alone chapel on St. Andrew Methodist Church’ s 21-acre campus in Plano, Texas, is envisioned as a sanctuary that harmonizes with its stunning natural surroundings. Nestled in the scenic northwestern corner, the chapel overlooks a tranquil creek and pond, creating a serene backdrop that invites reflection and worship.
The 300-seat chapel is designed to foster intimacy and community and serves as a sacred space for weddings, funerals, worship services, and small conferences. It stands as a testament to Rev. Robert Hasley, the founding pastor, his legacy, and his ministry. Conceptualized as“ a chapel in the woods,” the seating faces a dramatic view of the creek and pond, echoing the calm of Robert’ s cherished home in Arkansas. The simple floor plan guides people in a procession from the glass entrance on the south, through the narthex, into the chapel, and to the view beyond, where nature and architecture converge.
Crafted from natural materials like wood and stone, the chapel embodies warmth and invitation, seamlessly blurring the boundaries between the outdoors and the sacred interior.
Chad Davis
JURY COMMENTS: This is a great project. The large windows bring the outside in, helping to push the sacred space out into the landscape. There is a quality of it nesting in the trees, with a stone wall that anchors it.
SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2025 19