St. Mary-by-the-Sea Catholic Church
Rockaway Beach, Oregon • 2012
Built in 1926, St. Mary-by-the-Sea Catholic church is one of the oldest churches on the coast and one of only two Catholic churches in the world that opens directly onto the beach of the Pacific Ocean. In the early years of the 21st century, the parish decided it was time to build an addition with much-needed services such as a restroom, a drinking fountain, reconciliation room, and a place to gather out of the weather before entering the church. Our challenge was to create a modest, tasteful addition that would meet the needs of the parishioners and requirements of the archdiocese, while honoring the original form and materials of the existing church. Our approach was to use local materials and traditional massing for the exterior. On the inside, we coordinated with a local sawmill to profile and stain fir paneling to match that in the existing chapel. To make best use of the time the church would be inaccessible, the project also included new carpeting throughout and an upgrade to the mechanical system. The result is a new addition that fits harmoniously with the original and feels like it was always there.
