Grace Presbyterian Church Concept Design
To better support Grace Presbyterian Church’s expanding community mission, the congregation envisioned a revitalized campus that fosters fellowship and deepens its connection to the surrounding natural landscape.
Information
- Location Water Mill, New York
- Completion 2025
BNIM was honored to lead concept design for the Addition and Renovation of Grace Presbyterian Church in Water Mill, New York. Originally constructed in 1970, the current building no longer serves the current congregation and their mission to express hospitality in its building form. Â To better support their expanding community mission, the congregation envisioned a revitalized campus that fosters fellowship and deepens its connection to the surrounding natural landscape.
Impact + Innovation
Working closely with church leadership, the design team developed a new administrative and educational wing that prioritizes hospitality, accessibility, outdoor connectivity, and day-to-day operational efficiency. Bridging the new wing and the original Sanctuary is a double-height light-filled entry foyer that reflects the congregation’s welcoming spirit and dedication to community outreach. The addition also provides adaptable classrooms and workspaces designed to accommodate evolving fellowship needs and host educational programs, as well as a new Fellowship Hall to better serve church-wide activities.
The massing of the new addition is analogous to historic Hamptons potato barns, thoughtfully nested into the sloped terrain. Setbacks along Montauk Highway angle the new wings away from the Sanctuary, carefully preserving and reinforcing the visual hierarchy of the campus spaces. To further elevate the Sanctuary, a steeple was added to its north face, serving as a beacon for those traveling along the historic roadway and enhancing the indoor Sanctuary experience. Tying the campus together, an accessible vehicular route between the Sanctuary and the Fellowship Hall opens onto a vibrant community landscape designed to host year-round youth and family events.
