ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
The project brings this 75-year-old Gothic Revival cathedral into full conformance with contemporary Roman Catholic liturgical standards and provides major new spaces for social gatherings, meetings, and administration.
In the main worship space a new granite baptismal font and altar were added. The walls and elaborately decorated ceiling were restored to create a warmer, more unified scheme. Pews were replaced with chairs and a new tile floor was installed. In the sanctuary area the space was reconfigured for an expanded choir and a future pipe organ. Several new chapels were created, including one with a ceiling depicting the sky as it appeared on the night the cathedral was dedicated. Stained glass windows were restored, and confessional booths were converted into shrines for important saints.
The new narthex, inserted into a former courtyard between the nave and the rectory, unifies the cathedral complex and provides a place for informal gatherings. Site improvements include a new front entry plaza, two new neighborhood parks, parking lot, and a porte cochere.
In selecting the project for an AIA Tennessee Award of Merit, the jury commented, “The design is an elegant renovation with a sensitive narthex addition that enhances and improves the composition of the overall design. The language of the addition honors and celebrates the existing structure. The jury felt that the attention to light, craft, and detail in the project was remarkable.”
photographs by Tim Wilkes Photography, Rochester, NY