St Gabriel Catholic Church – Administration & Faith Formation Center
Date
2020-2022
Client
St Gabriel Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix
Status
Completed
Location
Cave Creek, Arizona
Size
2-story new building
15,325 sf
Project description
This new two-story building serves as the Administration and Faith Formation Center for the Parish committee members, replacing their previous one-story facility. The new structure primarily features private and open office spaces on the first floor, with adult religious education classrooms on the second floor. The development included minor site renovations around the building’s immediate surroundings, such as modifications to sidewalk and concrete areas and landscaping enhancements. Additional improvements include the introduction of new shrubs, low-scale plantings, decomposed granite, and trees native to the Arizona environment, all in accordance with the previously approved landscape plans for the master site development. Notably, there were no changes to parking or surrounding buildings.
The main public entrance provides access to the building lobby, leading to offices, stairs, and elevators that serve the second floor.
The building design reflects the architectural style of the existing classroom buildings and church on the campus. The Tuscan-style architectural theme is evident throughout the new facility, featuring parapet flat roofing and a tower entry that complements the design of the existing structures. Façade treatments are applied across the exterior, incorporating relief patterns and openings that enhance the architectural style while providing spaces for potential statues and other religious items. The primary wall material is the Exterior Insulating Finishing System (EIFS), with colors chosen to harmonize with the existing campus buildings and architectural style. Slump block materials are used as accent features under the first-floor window sills, seamlessly integrating with the overall campus aesthetic. Exterior lighting, including decorative wall sconces and high-efficiency wall packs, has been thoughtfully integrated to illuminate the surroundings while maintaining the building’s stylistic coherence.