NEW LIFE
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH

"Just as a church must insist that her building express the theology of the Church as set for by her theologians, so too a church must recognize that it is the province of the Architect to create the forms to embody those principles."  Don Bruggink

 

The New Life Orthodox Presbyterian Church purchased an existing skating rink building located in La Mesa, California.  Lack of use for ten years and prior humidity problems left the structure in poor condition.

 

The program required a stabilization of the existing structure and adaptive reuse of the existing space to accommodate the theology of the New Life Orthodox Presbyterian Church.  Apart  from the strong desire to incorporate the Reform Church ideology,  the project required the  Architect to accommodate a  38,000 square foot  multifunction  building comprised of a sanctuary,  choir rehearsal room,  music room,  administrative offices,  gymnasium,  classrooms,   nursery,   caretakers quarters,  commercial  kitchen and additional office space.

 

The existing building is a windowless structure.  Budget constraints prevented RY&A from adding any new windows.  Use of interior lighting, manipulation of scale, color and materials were key factors in the design of the church.