Location: Boise, Idaho
Capacity: 220 seats
Area: 6,500 sf
Construction: Wood framed with concrete first floor slab. Stucco exterior finish and asphalt shingled pitched roof.
Construction cost: $590,000
Date of completion: 1992
Background
The parish began in a little neighborhood brick building in residential Boise, built around 1920, probably described as Neo-gothic with Renaissance trimmings. It was long time inadequate when planning with an architect started. The Bishop had purchased the 10-acre farm site sometime earlier, large enough for a church, school and the first phase multiuse building to serve the ecclesiastical and education needs of the parish until the main church was built. During the planning stage the Pastor changed and the planning was delayed. The old church building had been sold before the new facility was built so the parish rented space in a local school for the interim months.
Project Images
About the Design
The design Parti was based on a simple idea, the main space in the center with a space cutout through the perimeter to enter the building. The remaining perimeter was classrooms, restrooms, kitchen, offices, storage, etc. The structure was a simple, an expandable gable end, corresponding to the taller space in the center Worship space and the smaller classroom at the low edge of the gable.
Flexible chair seating was planned and arranged in a circle around the altar and ambo. This was a strange change from the traditional rows of pews they were accustomed to at the old church. So the chairs were set in rows and the altar went back against the wall.
I left Boise before planning for the new church had started. I had developed plans for a 800-seat church before I left. The design accommodated a common gathering space with access to a gathering garden space. It was never used. A 1200-seat church was built long after I left Boise.
