Projects

The First Presbyterian Church was founded in 1868. After suffering two fires, the current church, designed by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham — constructed from limestone — was completed in 1895. In 2001, Schuler Shook successfully completed the lighting renovation for the Sanctuary as part of the architectural renovation led by Goss Pasma Architects. 

“After more than two years since completion, the Sanctuary still receives rave reviews from everyone who visits. The flexibility of the enlarged chancel has been utilized in so many additional ways beyond the basic arrangements originally contemplated, yet the basic illumination settings have provided more than enough light in every situation. When necessary, the lighting has been modified utilizing the simple architectural touch screen at our balcony control centre. And to our surprise and delight, we have only now changed the original bulbs in all the new and remodeled fixtures, thanks to the extensive dimming systems. The lighting of the stained glass windows from inside has provided a beautiful glow to the illuminated exterior of the building, while serving as a very effective ​‘night light’ when the sanctuary is otherwise dark inside. Bravo to Schuler & Shook for our outstanding lighting results!” Neil Anderson, project representative for First Presbyterian Church

This 43,000 square foot building sits on 52 acres and features an 1,100-seat sanctuary. The worship space will be expandable to 1,800 seats by reconfiguring the balcony as the congregation grows. The church’s program includes theatrical performances, contemporary Christian music and multimedia presentations.

The church also houses educational space and administrative areas. Additional education, child care, chapel, and youth centre spaces have been planned for future phases.

Schuler Shook provided theatre planning and architectural lighting design services for this new venue. A collaborative design approach with the owner and architect provided integrated systems, flexibility, and expandability.

This new 7,500-seat worship centre in South Barrington replaced the 4,500-seat facility that the church had outgrown. The new facility houses a 94′ W x 57′ H proscenium and 3‑axis LED screens that can project live feeds as well as pre-recorded scenes.

One of the main goals for the new worship facility was to retain an intimate feel and sense of closeness while almost doubling the overall seating capacity. Schuler Shook designed a forestage lift as part of the design solution to create intimacy in the new worship centre. The lift lowers from stage level to audience level, bringing the pastor closer to the congregants. The lift also lowers 20′ below stage level, providing access to the scene shop located on the lower level.

Schuler Shook also designed manual and motorised stage rigging, including five motorised light bridges for the church, and provided general planning assistance.

Bet Shalom is a new 35,000 square foot worship and education facility in Minnetonka, Minnesota. The 500 seat sanctuary is equipped with six 4‑ton panels, which form the walls of a hexagonal sanctuary. Three of these panels slide into the ceiling and floor, opening to the adjacent Social Hall, increasing the sanctuary seating to 1,300 people.

Schuler Shook designed the architectural lighting in collaboration with the architects. A flexible lighting control system allows the space to be adjusted in intensity, as well as to define different areas of the sanctuary.

Schuler Shook designed the lighting renovation and the control system for the sanctuary, the exterior, and the new chapel. The lighting design accentuates the worship service through the illumination of the sanctuary, altar, and religious artifacts. The exterior lighting design enhances the architecture and provides an evening presence on the skyline. Constraints included integration of the luminaries within the historic architectural fabric and developing a catwalk system above an existing cornice to allow lamp replacement and light fixture aiming at 60 feet above the altar. 

Awards:
CUE Award in 1999
IES International Illumination Design Award 1994

In 2018 the new Student Life Center opened at St. Agnes Academy, a Catholic high school for young women in Houston, TX. The project included both new construction and adaptive reuse of an existing stage to a black box theatre. The new centre houses Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P. Assembly and Performance Hall; Arthur W. Buckley Theatre; 125-seat studio theatre; Jamieson Family Dance Studio; student commons; and additional classrooms. 

To help the school maximize use of the 1,300-seat theatre, the balcony can be closed off from the remainder of the audience chamber to create a 240-seat lecture room.

Schuler Shook provided full theatre consulting services for the proscenium theatre and studio theatre including planning, designing and specifying audience seating and sightlines, stage rigging and curtains, variable acoustic curtains, stage lighting power and control systems, stage lighting fixtures, concert enclosure, portable platforms, and pit filler platforms. We also specified portable platform systems for future purchase for the 125-seat studio theatre.

This lighting renovation coincided with an overall renovation of the church. Indirect lighting for the nave was integrated within newly designed architectural extensions of the column capitals. The illumination level in the nave was increased by a combination of this new indirect illumination and by increasing the lamp wattage in existing chandeliers. 

For the chancel, new front lighting was concealed behind the front columns and new overhead lighting recessed into the vaulted ceiling.