New Stained Glass, Furnishing, and Lighting for Church of St. Gregory the Great
The Rambusch Company was chosen to work with the church committee from design concept to the fabrication and installation of liturgical furnishings, stained glass, and a new lighting system. Rambusch assisted with nearly all aspects of St. Gregory’s expansion, including a new gathering space/baptistery and nave. Blending the old with the new produced the harmonious interior of the Church of St. Gregory the Great. An interactive design-assist was implemented to define the thematic concept for this church interior. All the liturgical furnishings and elements required to support this goal, from concept through fabrication and installation were realized through this collaborative effort.
The challenges: develop a design to support the liturgy, create a contemplative worship space, produce an environment that is consistent and beautiful. During a design-assist process, the team collaborated on design directions for the interior, liturgical furnishings and stained glass. Rambusch refined the themes and presented possible alternatives to the group through drawings and interactive sketching sessions. Once the design was complete, Rambusch became St. Gregory’s specialty contractor, overseeing the fabrication and installation of the marble liturgical furnishings. Rambusch designed the altar, ambo, tabernacle and its stand in the Romanesque style of the 1500s, the period of Saint Gregory’s life.
Today’s larger worship spaces often need large glass landscapes, so the new windows were designed to be cost-effective in their mechanics and facilitate efficient installation. “The Creation Window” connects the new church to the old, while the sweeping “St. Gregory the Great Window” depicts his life. Tall column windows represent parables from St. Gregory’s life.
Illuminating the church was the project’s final touch. The needs of the congregation and the liturgy prescribed the new lighting system’s versatility, allowing the flexibility to create an open, soaring effect, a focused and intimate effect, and everything in between.