Dennis McLaughlin has an intimate understanding of Christ-centered worship as the springboard of church planning and design and knowledge of scripture for use as a symbol source for design of building elements. In addition to his emphasis on community needs, Dennis has a complete technical command of sustainable construction methods and detailing, broad knowledge of engineering technology and the leadership to integrate economy and art to the result.
Dennis is a registered architect in the State of Florida and certified by the NCARB, (National Council of Architectural Registration Board) which allows him to practice in all 50 states, with appropriate state registration.
Dennis’s more that 35 years of experience as an architect, practicing in six states. While emphasizing Ecclesiastical design, he has a extensive experience in award-winning church, commercial, industrial, high-rise multi-family residential and single family buildings. His design for Christ the King Catholic Church in Las Vegas, Nevada won a national IFRAA award, a certificate of Merit. Dennis is a college-level instructor and has written extensively.
Personal Statement
My education and experience as an architect has taught me the extreme importance of service to both individual clients who hire me and the community at large, that any improvement in the quality of communal life and that of the neighbors, that is generated by my design activity is a benefit to both and is always a humbling experience.
Personally, I am extremely happy and grateful to serve religious communities, my chosen passion and specialty; especially when the results are considered a success beyond the community dreams. The need for a design intention that is measured with the spiritual dimension of architectural space, so difficult to accomplish, almost unexpected by client communities, who have grown to not expect it, believing that all they can have is bland, barn-like spaces in which to worship.
Good design solves that: not only the need for functional, safe and weather-tight space, but also a space that moves, a space enjoys the occupancy of a mysterious presence of ‘Other’. This is what religion is all about. McLaughlin Architect has brought this quality into their spaces, not with fake buttresses or meaningless historical trivia, but with an understanding of man’s need for the spirit and basic human psychology.
