Johnson City, Tennessee
For a century, St. John's Church has been a landmark in downtown Johnson City, Tennessee due to its Gothic revival style and distinctive use of "river rock" stone masonry. To respond to new growth in membership and the revitalization of downtown, WPA was commissioned to design a new nave, or main worship space, and to provide additional office, sacristy, and classroom space, all on the narrowly constricted urban site.
Completed in 2001, the new 350-seat nave adjoins the existing narthex and echoes the Gothic revival character of the existing nave, which will now be used as a chapel. A stone ramp leading to a new entry porch provides a processional route as well as handicapped access. The new addition is clad in cedar shakes and the local "river rock" was specified to provide visual continuity between the new and old buildings. A lower-level space was shelled-in to provide for future classroom space.
The new nave was designed as a single dramatic room and features laminated wood arches supported on stone piers; red oak ceilings, casework, and pews; and stained concrete flooring. Acoustical wall panels were custom-stenciled with a pattern developed by the artist and architects. The generous natural lighting provided by the over-scaled dormers and glazed north facade is supplemented by pendant light fixtures designed by the architects. A used pipe organ was purchased and reconfigured for installation at the south end of the room.