St. Paul Church, New York

St. Paul the Apostle is a 130 year-old Catholic church on the Upper West Side. Though the structure was designed by an engineer-priest, it was ornamented by Bertram Goodhue, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and Stanford White. The vast basilica, crypt, and rectory support numerous community uses. A master plan sought to solve functional deficiencies with minimal physical interventions. The first construction project was the installation of an oak and glass entry vestibule against the Great East Door. The addition provides a human-scaled transition into the church, and acts as a weather barrier. Glowing like a lantern, the sleek oak frame with translucent infill was designed to echo the wood paneling of the church. The vestibule was fabricated in a cabinet shop to minimize installation time, thus reducing costs to suit an austere budget.