St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church has undergone a series of major renovations since its founding in 1912. The first in 1953 and a subsequent renovation in 1973 served to strip most of the original character of the church. These consisted of removing the reredos, pews, and high altar, as well as a complete eradication of the ornate murals and stenciling adorning the sacred space.
What began as a renovation, evolved into a reclamation of the church’s classic character. In researching its history through generations of parishioners’ family photographs, the church’s prior grandeur was revealed. This led to the repossession of lost statues, the restoration of a relief carving of The Last Supper, and the recovery of the church altar. We sought to blend the old-world skill of artists and craftsman with the modern innovation of acoustical, mechanical, and lighting engineers to create a design faithful to the past and an eye towards the future. The interior walls all received artwork reminiscent of its original 1912 heritage, acoustical plaster was added, new furnishings constructed, and the original terrazzo flooring refinished to its original colors. The historical lighting was re-lamped to LED, and new LED fixtures were added to highlight the space.
It is our hope that through careful design and collaboration, we have upheld the integrity of the original architecture while enhancing the sacral atmosphere.
Project Award | 2016 AIA Baton Rouge Gold Rose Award
Project Award | 2016 Gold InDesign Award
/13-061_01.jpg)
/13-061_02.jpg)
/13-061_03.jpg)
/13-061_04.jpg)
/13-061_05.jpg)
/13-061_18.jpg)