Beardsley Design Associates - Portfolio - Expanded Narthex Entry
Expanded Narthex Entry
St. Alphonsus Church
Auburn, NY
The existing narthex to Saint Alphonsus Church was a closed, wide space lacking depth, which served as the main entry and air lock to the church. Instead of building an exterior addition to this Auburn icon, the space requirements were achieved by expanding the narthex into the nave of the church. As a result, the nave became brighter and an enhanced connection was created between the narthex and the nave.
Space byproducts of this enlarged narthex include the addition of a bride’s room/quiet room, a reconciliation room, and an enlarged choir loft. The choir loft can accommodate the seating that was lost on the main floor of the nave. To improve the connection from the balcony to the main worship space, a closed-circuit monitor system was installed.
Update and Expansion
The new narthex is brighter and provides a gathering space.