Unity Church of Christianity | Houston, Texas

While respectful of Antoine Predock's original vision for the church, Ray+Hollington sought to create a new center for the congregation through creation of a new symbology in design

In 2002 RHA was commissioned to re-evaluate the original design, by Antoine Predock, for a new sanctuary addition to the existing Unity Church of Christianity campus. Respectful of Predock’s vision for the building, the original siting and form of the facility were retained. The existing sanctuary, a pyramid in form, had outgrown its usefulness and was to be converted into a fellowship hall. The new sanctuary was intended to mitigate the existing imagery and was designed to function as a performance hall as much as a traditional church. It was RHA’s goal to anchor the building on the campus and to create a new center for the congregation.

Due to the schematic nature of the original design, numerous design decisions remained. RHA’s task included re-evaluation of the proposed materials and redesign of the tower. This revision allowed for a more unified plan with a different relationship between the solids and voids of Predock’s original project. By removing and redesigning the original glass tower, and poising two vertical plinths of stone that never meet, RHA created a six-story vertical slot of glass and light that frames a multistory interior lobby space. This shaft of light, which centers on the axis of the approaching street, provides a new identity symbol for the church.

RHA also designed a linear landscaped courtyard that unifies the campus by linking the original sanctuary with the new.