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St. Patrick's Catholic Church

Featured Projects:
St. Martin's Episcopal Church

St. Martin's

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Among the largest Episcopal churches in the United States, St. Martin's in Houston, Texas, was founded in 1952. The congregation currently stands at nearly 7,600 members practicing a very traditional form of worship and music. During a recent "Building to Bless" expansion project, the congregation built a new church, a new parish hall with a full size commercial kitchen, and remodeled parking lots, the nursery building and the education building.
St. Martin's



The primary design consideration for the project was to provide traditional Gothic furnishings that function within the parameters of modern liturgical practices. St. Martin's is the first gothic-style church built in Texas in the last half of the century and authenticity of design and style were vital to the project.

The architectural firm selected for the project was Jackson & Ryan Architects, Houston. Liturgical furnishings and organ case were designed by Terry Byrd Eason Design, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Architectural woodwork was fabricated and installed by New Holland Church Furniture, an AWI member firm from New Holland, Pennsylvania.

 

Included in the $1.6 million Quality Certified woodwork project were pews, communion rails, pulpit, lectern, choir (rood) screen, seating and a magnificent pipe organ case, as well as liturgical appointments such as crosses and candleholders. The furnishings were designed over the course of a year and constructed in approximately six to seven months.

"We were building a grand gothic-style church," explains William Kovach, CPA, parish administrator. "Authenticity of design and style were some of the paramount considerations. When you view many of the grand gothic churches throughout Europe, one of the most impressive hallmarks is the woodwork and how it accents the architecture while playing an extremely important liturgical purpose. We wanted our worship space to offer the same feeling to those who entered it as they would receive in those old sacred churches."
St. Martin's
St. Martin's
DESIGN OBJECTIVES

According to Terry Byrd Eason Design, design objectives were met by creating a dignified setting for the Holy Eucharist using a carved gothic choir screen as a backdrop for the chancel. The screen is acoustically transparent, focusing attention on the liturgy. The pulpit provides a distinguished place while parishioners are reminded of their baptismal vows every time they enter through the narthex into the rear of the nave.

"While the building design is patterned after St. Elizabeth's Parish Church in Marburg, Germany, the furnishings take their design cues from traditional geometric gothic detailing found in historic examples from England," says the liturgical designer. Quarter sawn White Oak was used as it is the most traditional selection for gothic-style woodwork. Veneers used in the seating, also White Oak, were book matched and end matched, reports Don Long from New Holland Church Furniture.
DIVINE ELEMENTS

Deemed the most divine in design and fabrication are the choir screen and the organ case. "The overall size and weight of these two items required that they be delivered in many individual pieces and assembled on site," says Long. "We worked very closely with the organ provider to insure that all of the components fit properly in the casework, and that the construction of the casework would support the weight of the piping and other mechanisms."

Kovach says that his favorite piece is the organ case. "This amazing piece of woodwork is front and center in the church. Its towering presence is impossible to miss. The vast amounts of intricate carving stand out to all who see it. I was honored to watch its installation, and witness the technical and physical difficulties that were overcome to achieve its successful completion."

 St. Martin's
A DIVINE TEAM

It is not often that a project comes along that is of the scale and scope of St. Martin's and we all feel fortunate to have been a part of building a church that will serve this parish for many generations to come, notes the liturgical designer.

"New Holland has always been good to work with because they have the right experience and the craftspeople who understand traditional detailing. We also appreciate their thorough shop drawings required for each piece that we have designed," he adds.

"We have worked with the designer of St. Martin's on numerous other projects, and through the years have developed an excellent working relationship," continues Long. "This was our first project with the architect but found it very easy to work with the firm's personnel. They were quick to respond to questions and very willing to meet with us at the site when needed."

St. Martin's Kovach says the parish will be eternally grateful for the diligence, integrity and high-quality workmanship the AWI member firm provided on the project. The woodworking team overcame many difficulties and provided countless hours of special assistance. "The installers went far beyond the call of duty to make sure their work could be done harmoniously with the many other activities that were taking place at the time," he adds.

As Kovach summarizes the completed work, the magnificence of the woodwork accents the magnificence of the space.
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