HIGHWOOD FELLOWSHIP

In this renovation for a community church, an uninviting basement corridor becomes a place for spirited assembly. This sub-grade leftover space inside a repurposed church was not meeting the community’s needs, socially nor spatially. Two structural columns punctuating the space and a disjointed ceiling of varying heights made for an inconvenient place to gather.

In its reincarnation, the once-residual hall celebrates previous eccentricities. Columns that interrupt become furniture that attracts. Felt forms animate the room while providing warmth and dampening sound. A unifying green circle reflecting Ordinary Time of the liturgical calendar marks a zone to be activated throughout the year for small group readings & discussions, celebratory events, and shared community meals.

Custom-designed wood furniture envelops each column. A two-sided prayer center inspired by Jacob’s ladder forms an open vertical pillar - an invitation to reflect. A bench with two halves forms a reconfigurable horizontal surface - an invitation to connect.