The new building for the New England Synod, a regional collective of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, serves as both the spiritual heart of the collective and its administrative headquarters. The design successfully resolves the dilemma of expressing a sacred mission and a secular function by balancing the simplicity and austerity of its form and materials – reminiscent of New England colonial structures – with subtle detailing inspired by Christian imagery. Based on a cruciform plan, the interior is a tightly knit spacial confi guration that provides clear delineation between public and private areas. At the same time, the lofty double height central space, with public reception located under the intersecting axes of a dramatic cruciform ceiling coff er, feels spacious and exalted, with its operable clerestory windows bringing in outside light, fresh air, and a view of the tree tops.

Photos by Graig Pemro