In reality, this is less a 'before and after' than it is a 'phase 1' versus 'phase 2' type of project. We must always remember that even the great churches of Rome and Europe more generally at one time started out rather more plainly, with years of continued works going into their beautification. In our ready-made, 'Amazon.com' style culture, where we expect everything completed quickly and cheaply, it is good to remember this lesson, giving space for time and tide to continue to work on ecclesiastical spaces over the course of generations.
Conrad Schmitt takes us through some background of this project:
A new build brought to life through custom stencils, murals, furnishings, and faux mosaics and marbling. This space leans into rich symbolism. Themes such as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, Christ as Bridegroom of the Church, and St. Margaret as the “Pearl of Scotland” are woven throughout the design. Over the triumphal arch are the Latin words “The Word became Flesh.” This concept is key, as it articulates the role that metaphor serves in the art of the Church; it transforms one thing into another. In the half-dome, the Lamb of God stands victorious, “slain, yet standing” resting upon the Seven Seals. Surrounding it, 24 surrounding rays, representing the twenty-four thrones in view of the Throne of Heaven and 7 stars for the seven churches of Anatolia, to whom the opening letters of Revelation are addressed.
So with that in mind, we begin, as always, with our before -- or phase one if you prefer.
As you can see, a well ordered space with a classic apse and altar. Minimalist for certain, but certainly not "modernist" (in the architectural sense).
Turning to the after though, one will see just how the space has been both built upon and ultimately transformed.
