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When the Lutheran Charities Association of St. Louis purchased a former nunnery from the local Catholic Diocese, the property's modestly proportioned church became the central religious focus for several hundred members of the newly planned Laclede Groves retirement community. The intimate gothic revival sanctuary features elegant vaults springing from the main columns and a wooden ribbed plaster barrel vault ceiling. The ornate chancel wall is a fitting backdrop to the quiet strength of the marble altar and choir.
Working with the existing circuitry and chandelier housings, an uplight component was incorporated into the fixture to bathe the vaults in soft illumination, while a more efficient reflector was added to provide a uniform appearance to the century-old fixture glass. Ambient lighting levels are improved throughout the nave by low brightness quartz downlights recessed into the vaults. A variety of new and creatively concealed accent lights bring focus and liturgical hierarchy to the chancel area. A new multi-scene dimming control system establishes pre-set conditions for the variety of services held in the chapel, both daytime and after dark.
The creative yet simple solutions fulfilled all of the Owner's functional and aesthetic objectives, while consuming less than 90% of the allotted budget.