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Project: St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church,
555 Water Street, SW, Washington, DC
Architects: MTFA Architecture
Structural Engineers: Ehlert Bryan Consulting Structural Engineers
MEP Engineers: Metropolitan Engineering, Inc./Shapiro-O’Brien;
Potomac Energy Group
Civil Engineers: AMT, LLC
Commercial Food Service Designers: Drafting & Design, LLC
Owner’s Representative: KCM, Inc.
Contractor: Scott-Long Construction, Inc.

Employing a strategy currently being used by multiple
Washington-area churches, St. Augustine’s sold part of its site for
commercial development and used the proceeds to help finance
the new structure. The part that was sold faces the water and was
used for a new 107-unit condominium development designed by
Bethesda-based SK&I Architecture. The smaller slice that the
church retained for its own use runs along Maine Avenue and
faces inland, toward the community served by the church. The
retained parcel’s limited area meant that the new church building
had to be a two-story structure.
Drawing from Christian traditions and the site’s location,
MTFA’s design was inspired by the idea of a wind-powered ship.
“The concept of a ship with sails moving forward relates to the
waterfront site and religious symbolism,” the firm said. The
building “appears to be pulled forward by the nave, reinforcing
the early Christian symbol of the Church as a ship.” That nautical
image might not be immediately obvious to onlookers, because the
design doesn’t descend into vernacular cliché. “We didn’t want to
be literal [in our design]. But the building’s sculptural elements
have meaning for the congregation to invite and welcome the
The curving brick wall along Maine Avenue, at left, recalls the curves of the Arena Stage diversity of their community.”
building across the street, while the soaring, angled glass wall of the sanctuary provides
The design’s strong lines help the building hold its own in the
a vertical complement to the strong horizontality of the other building.
presence of one of the city’s most spectacular new modernist
structures—the late Bing Thom’s sinuous, glass-wrapped Arena
neighborhood at a six-degree angle, symbolizing St. Augustine’s Stage building (see the Spring 2011 issue of ARCHITECTUREDC),
which is directly across the street. “We were very aware of the
longstanding commitment to engaging and supporting the
strong horizontal orientation of the roof overhang and the curved
local community.
The 16,396-square-foot building was designed by MTFA
Architecture, an Arlington-based architecture, interiors, and glass at Arena Stage, and wanted to contrast it,” the firm said.
Consequently, in designing St. Augustine’s, “we tried to emphasize
planning firm that counts a number of religious structures among the verticality in the glass wall and express it as a plane that
its civic and institutional portfolio. MTFA’s team for the project extends and stretches upward without an apparent edge.”
included principals Michael T. Foster, FAIA; James Clark, FAIA, Recessed under the glass wall is the main entrance, where
LEED AP BD+C; and Meagan Jancy, AIA, LEED AP BD+C; “the church’s welcoming nature to the neighborhood is expressed
senior associate Braden Field AIA, LEED AP; and project architect with cast-stone profiles representing open doors,” the firm said.
Christopher Winnike, AIA, LEED AP BD+C. Passing through those doors, visitors immediately encounter the
St. Augustine’s previous building, which was located on the circular space with the baptismal font at its center. The font, which
same block, was a suburban-looking, single-story structure is estimated to date to the 11th century, was transferred from the
designed in the mid-century modern style by Baltimore architect church’s previous building. Just beyond the font space, in the middle
Alexander Smith Cochran. Constructed in 1965, the building of the first floor, is the building’s lofted entry and circulation area,
“was in disrepair and on the verge of being overwhelmed by with its grand staircase leading up to the second level. First-floor
surrounding development,” MTFA said. “The congregation perimeter spaces include a chapel near the front entrance, three
envisioned a new church building that would showcase and classrooms, a meeting hall with its own street entry and secondary
connect their active congregation to the community. After many entry plaza, the church’s office, its kitchen, and an elevator for
years of being hidden in the middle of an overgrown lot, [they those not able to use the staircase.
wanted] to both be seen and see the city while praying for At the top of the grand staircase is the second-floor gathering
its leaders.” and circulation space, which serves as the narthex (the antechamber

A CHURCH LEANS IN TO THE CITY 53