Plymouth Church Sanctuary Renovation

Plymouth Church Sanctuary Renovation

Seattle, WA

SSF worked with Rafn and LMN Architects on a the Plymouth Church sanctuary renovation that included the installation of a new 3-story, $2 million pipe organ.  To accommodate the height of the organ case, the concrete slab for the chancel had to be demolished and rebuilt at a lower level.  For better acoustics, the ambulatory ceilings were raised and replaced with reinforced gypsum panels. While working on the ceiling replacement, Rafn discovered cracks in the sanctuary’s existing glulam beams. Upon evaluation by SSF, it was discovered that the beams had been originally under-designed by a factor of 10, and they were failing. The structural solution was to add steel king posts and tensions rods, and to convert the roof beams into a truss system. Costs for this additional work was kept to a minimum by Rafn’s carefully thought-out methods for the tensioning installation. Construction in the sanctuary also included new CMU walls, mechanical and acoustical upgrades specifically for the organ, new flooring and new lighting.

Plymouth Church Historic Preservation / Restoration