Bergen Street Studio’s proposal treats the Cathedral as both a sacred landmark and an active civic building, preserving the primacy of the historic stone structure while extending its life through a carefully recessed addition. The design is organized to support the Cathedral’s liturgical and communal needs with a quiet architectural logic: new ecclesiastical offices, meeting rooms, and support spaces are placed to improve daily function without competing with the existing worship space.
Accessibility and circulation are addressed as essential acts of stewardship. A new vertical circulation core and accessible entry sequence creates a more welcoming arrival experience, while also improving movement between the main sanctuary level and the lower-level fellowship hall. These interventions are conceived not as isolated utility upgrades, but as a coherent framework that strengthens the building’s overall spatial clarity and usability.
The addition is calibrated to defer to the existing masonry and timber frame, using massing and placement to recede visually and keep the historic cathedral legible as the dominant form. At the same time, the new work establishes a more functional relationship to the site, including direct access to the open space east of the Cathedral, where parish festivals and community events extend the life of the building beyond worship. In this way, the project becomes an architectural act of continuity, allowing the Cathedral to remain materially grounded in its history while adapting to the practical demands of contemporary parish life.
