History meets modern at church-turned-center for the arts

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[["images-card",{"images":[{"url":"http:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dpcbzfiye\/image\/upload\/v1663268954\/lmiu7y7qna7pvzbeib4i.jpg","id":"6545002"}]}],["images-card",{"images":[{"url":"http:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dpcbzfiye\/image\/upload\/v1663268994\/pwh1zjaiy5pbznb7p5gl.jpg","id":"6545003"}]}]],"markups":[["a",["href","https:\/\/www.skolnick.com\/","target","_blank"]],["em"],["a",["href","http:\/\/www.marvin.com\/historic","target","_blank"]]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"AIA partner Marvin explores how an adaptive reuse and restoration project transformed an 1832 Methodist Church into a one-of-a-kind contemporary hub for the arts and community life."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Some of the most innovative buildings have evolved in their purpose and design over time. Adaptive reuse and restoration projects fall into this architectural category, and what makes them the darlings of bold, sustainable design is that dynamic new life is granted to existing structures. For those who experience these transformed spaces, there\u2019s a tangible sense of history that permeates through original surfaces, sites, or materials. The tension it creates when juxtaposed with modern materials, restoration work, and contemporary design is when things get really interesting. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\u201cThe Church\u201d in Sag Harbor, New York, afforded a particularly exceptional opportunity for adaptive reuse. This 12,000-square-foot former Methodist church, built in 1832, weathered nearly two centuries with its strong bones, vaulted ceilings, and heavy beams. Architect Lee Skolnick, FAIA, of "],[0,[0],1,"Skolnick Architecture + Design"],[0,[],0," worked with artists and community activists Eric Fischl and April Gornik to transform the church into a modern center for the arts."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThe conversation between old and new was the design approach,\u201d Skolnick said. \u201cWhen we encountered the building, it had already been gutted completely. It was down to the bones, timbers exposed. It gave us the opportunity to be very careful about what we added back in. My approach was, anything that we added back in was going to be modern, so you\u2019d wind up with this conversation between history and today.\u201d\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\nThat conversation is almost audible as you explore The Church. Pine wood framing was left exposed from the topmost rafters down through the walls and into the lower level. Original wood was also repurposed within the building, showcasing pieces of the original church as artifacts. Not only does the historical component add to the building\u2019s character, but the decision to maintain much of the original stock also makes this project an example of how sustainable architecture comes to life today."]]],[1,"p",[]],[10,0],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Immediately upon entering The Church, you find yourself in the heart of it\u2014a massive open atrium with 10 banks of 20-foot-tall windows stretching up two stories. Assumed to have been formerly comprised of religious stained glass, the windows had been boarded up for years. Now, given the new use of the space as a home for the arts, the windows presented a special opportunity to reimagine stained glass in the modern era.\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\u201cWe created something very unique with the windows,\u201d Skolnick said. \u201cWe wanted a modern interpretation of stained glass, so Eric Fischl had this idea to paint portraits of artists who worked or lived in Sag Harbor over the years.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Fischl\u2019s portraits of Sag Harbor artists (e.g., Herman Melville, Langston Hughes, and Betty Friedan) fill 20 open squares among the divided lites of the windows\u2014a custom window design created for The Church using the Marvin Ultimate product line, which allows for design flexibility on custom projects and historic work. The portrait drawings were then transferred onto translucent film and mounted in those open squares, giving the illusion that they\u2019re hovering in the windows, which are insulated dual-pane glass. They glow with natural light during the day and are illuminated by light from within The Church at night.\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cIt\u2019s just spectacular,\u201d Skolnick said. \u201cIn this place where art is sacred, these artists are our saints.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[]],[10,1],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\nMeanwhile, on the exterior of The Church, the windows are clad in aluminum, a design choice that had to be brought before an architectural review board in Sag Harbor for approval, to ensure the church upheld its historic integrity. At first the board insisted the windows have wood frames, but Skolnick demonstrated that clad window exteriors, especially the precise historic casing that Marvin can produce, have advanced so much that today you cannot tell the difference between original and clad. Furthermore, the AAMA 2605 finish does service to the original structure by providing long-lasting color and protection from the elements. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cI was very attracted to the fact that the windows could be aluminum-clad so there would be no maintenance,\u201d Skolnick said. \u201cCan you imagine 20-foot-high windows that need to be repainted every few years because of the climate out here, which is very harsh? We have extreme seasonality, and there\u2019s a lot of salt in the air.\u201d "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\nOther spaces of note within The Church include the second-floor mezzanine where views of the town\u2019s rooftops below are straight out of a fairy tale; the steeple of the church, now a library and study lounge; artist studios in the lower level, accessible via stairs or a glass elevator; and an outdoor amphitheater outfitted with intricate stonework.\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\nThe goal is for The Church to be a home for artists and a place for the community to gather and celebrate the arts. The open design of the interior can accommodate a variety of events, from concerts to gallery exhibitions. Truly, the adapted church is now a sanctuary for creative expression.\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\u201cIf you do your work well and you try to think of everything, other good things happen that you didn\u2019t expect,\u201d Skolnick said. \u201cIn this project, one of those things is that, because of these big expanses of glass, when the church is lit up at night and you are outside, you get these incredible views into the inside of the historic structure. Because of all this wood, there\u2019s this really warm glow. Walking up the street at night and seeing the church, it\u2019s almost like a gigantic lantern. This effect is only possible because of the openness of the windows and the very delicate sight lines.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Effects like this, it seems, are rare. And so is the fluid conversation that Skolnick was able to conjure between past and present in this extraordinary historic church. Thanks to the craftsmanship and precision embedded in every detail of the adaptive reuse project, a new and vibrant second life is granted to the space, which will be enjoyed by many for the next hundred years. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],0,"To learn more, visit Marvin\u2019s "],[0,[2],1,"Historic Replacement Windows and Doors portal"],[0,[],1,"."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"AIA does not sponsor or endorse any enterprise, whether \npublic or private, operated for profit. Further, no AIA officer, \ndirector, committee member, or employee, or any of its component \norganizations in his or her official capacity, is permitted to approve, \nsponsor, endorse, or do anything that may be deemed or construed to be \nan approval, sponsorship, or endorsement of any material of construction\n or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in\n any material or product."]]]]}