Before and After: Our Lady of Lourdes in Denver, Colorado

Integration Design Group (IDG) have yet another interesting 'before and after' project to share, this time with Our Lady of Lourdes in Denver, Colorado.  As we usually do, we begin with the company's own account of the scope and accomplishments of the renovation project:

This project encompassed a dramatic transformation of a 60 year old masonry church building, including the addition of a prominent front door on Logan Street, a narthex addition providing ample gathering space, and a complete interior renovation.  Interior improvements include a clerestory window addition above the existing roof, a dome over the sanctuary, and a beautiful stone wall as a backdrop and frame for the crucifix and tabernacle.  The project includes all new liturgical elements and furnishings.

The efforts at this parish began with a comprehensive master planning effort. To date, the architectural beauty and liturgical artistry of the church have been enhanced with the major renovation of the existing nave and sanctuary. A new narthex was added to replace the inadequately sized original entry foyer, the roof was raised to add new clerestory windows. Custom furnishings and altar adorn the sanctuary which has been redesigned and redecorated with paint and stonework. The final Master Plan provides a phased, long term road map for the parish to revitalize existing buildings as well as grow into new facilities as the school and parish size continue to grow. 

The church of Our Lady of Lourdes dates to the mid 1960's and as such it has much of the sterility that would come to be, unfortunately, associated with that era -- in part due to the liturgical ideas of the times, and in part due to the great boom of post-war era churches that needed to be erected during this period.

The church did at least, however, have some nice architectural features such as arches, as well as a classic sanctuary and nave arrangement. 

BEFORE

Obviously however, as is so often the case with churches of this era, the sanctuaries in particular are often somewhat lacklustre. The new approach that IDG implemented with the parish first off brightens the church and it also strips away the carpeting -- a feature which not only doesn't stand the test of time, it also deadens musical acoustics.  The ceiling trusses have also been replaced by one's which are far more substantial, better fitting the overall weighting of the building. 

AFTER

What is especially noteworthy is the new altar and sanctuary, which have introduced a far more classic arrangement, one which focuses one's attention on the altar, as well as some needed colour (in this case blue and gold) with the Latin words "Et Verbum Caro Factum Est" (And the Word Was Made Flesh) -- a Eucharistic motif. 

Also of interest is the new Marian shrine which includes a beautiful, polychromatic sculpted image of the Virgin and Child, set before a starry blue backdrop. 

The end result of this particular project is a far more noble and beautiful liturgical and ecclesiastical space; one which emphasizes the centrality of the altar, just as all good church architecture should.

For more information on these or other projects by Integration Design Group (IDG), please visit their website. 

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