PROJECT  Emmanuel Episcopal Church

LOCATION Baltimore, Maryland, US​

ARCHITECT Moseley Architects

CLIENT Rev. Anne Marie Richards

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TEAM Tom Liebel; Jack Carroll

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
CONTRACTOR a. Southway Builders

ENGINEERS
Kris Murchie-Kubaryk, P.E., Skarda & Associates, Inc.,
Paul Crampton, MK Consulting Engineers
James Posey Associates, Kevin R. McCarthy
James Posey Associates, Kevin R. McCarthy

PHOTOGRAPHER Kevin Weber

CONSULTANTS (if applicable)

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE  3/21/2023

PROJECT SUMMARY
Since its founding in 1854, Emmanuel Episcopal Church has been in its original building in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood. The building contains multiple historic and well-maintained spaces for worship, performances, and gathering that were being used by the congregation and a variety of community and arts groups. However, these spaces were not accessible. Taking seriously its baptismal covenant to “respect the dignity of every human being” and seeking to be a welcoming place for all people, Emmanuel completed a renovation that connects the whole building via an elevator, provides accessible all-gender toilets, and adds a new exterior entry to the lower level. Besides meeting these functional requirements, the renovation matches the quality of the historic building while staying within a limited budget through careful use of materials. Instead of relegating the disabled to a utilitarian appendage, the elevator anchors a hub that is an integral part of the structure used by all. When many churches and other “third places” and community anchors are struggling, the resulting transformation not only keeps a historic building in active use, but it allows Emmanuel to grow and thrive so that it can continue its mission into the future.

The internal courtyard now features an elevator, ADA-compliant restrooms, and a new accessible entrance on Read Street, which includes a ramped sidewalk for direct access to the lower-level gallery and chapel. The renovation’s architecture maintains the character and quality of the historic church without pretending to be original. Simple metal panels cover the elevator and wrapping stairs, harmonizing with the courtyard’s stone walls. Care was taken to design the stair’s form in a way that wouldn’t obstruct light to windows in the Main Church and Great Hall. An existing stone wall was removed to provide room for the elevator and was salvaged to clad the elevator shaft, using the quoin motif found in other interior spaces and maintaining continuity with the historic building sustainably. Windows along the stairs provide views of the original stone structure that were not previously visible.

The new elevator displaced two restrooms, requiring the church to replace those facilities elsewhere. In the past, the church had multiple small restrooms scattered around. The new restrooms include the same number of fixtures as before but merge them in a large all-gender restroom with private toilet rooms and shared sink area, as well as an accessible single-occupant restroom. No toilets in the building are restricted by gender, aligning with the church’s goal to make the building welcoming for all while also making the most efficient use of limited space. The historic chapel inspires the restrooms’ material palette, helping the building feel more cohesive.

JURY COMMENTS (if applicable)

IMAGES – CAPTIONS & CREDITS

Image 1  View from Read Street. Kevin Weber Photography 2024.
Image 2  stairs wrap the elevator addition inside the existing courtyard. Kevin Weber Photography 2024.
Image 3  elevator landing at Main Level. Kevin Weber Photography 2024.
Image 4  elevator landing at Lower Level with salvaged stone wall and stair. Kevin Weber Photography 2024.
Image 5  Lower level corridor built through the existing courtyard connecting the elevator to the Gallery; existing stone exterior wall is to the left, remaining courtyard to the right, and stair addition ahead. Kevin Weber Photography 2024.
Image 6  metal-clad addition within the existing stone courtyard. Kevin Weber Photography 2024.
Image 7  salvaged stone wraps the elevator shaft. Kevin Weber Photography 2024.
Image 8  stairs with salvaged stone wall to the left, windows to courtyard to the right, and existing stone courtyard wall ahead. Kevin Weber Photography 2024.

MEDIA FOR DOWNLOAD
Project PDF