Before and After: St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aspen, Colorado

St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aspen, Colorado is a parish that seems have been kept, all things considered, remarkably well in tact. Mainly what is meant by this is that its high altar and side altars managed to escape the liturgical fads and fashions of the 1970's. That said, there was still work to be done to reclaim this church to something more proximate to its historical ornamentality and for that the parish church engaged Integration Design Group, an architectural firm specializing in ecclesiastical and other architecture based out of Denver, Colorado.  

Integration Design Group set the scene for us:

Constructed in 1892, this historic masonry and timber building in the heart of Aspen, Colorado was much in need of renewal and restoration. The parish family engaged Integration Design Group to envision a new interior that would inspire worshipers and respect the historic heritage and tradition in the 125-year-old structure. 

The project included complete interior renovation, restoration of historic altars and statues, new ceilings new beams and complete decorative paint scheme. The structure was modified to create a new choir loft, fit within the existing building form – thus allowing a narthex entry space below. 

Specialty finishes were incorporated throughout the project. Custom encaustic clay tiles with fleur-de-lis and Marian insignia create a dramatic effect on the predella; new rift-sawn oak floors incorporate mahogany inlays; new and restored leaded glass create a threshold between narthex and nave; and custom stencil work is applied in the chancel surrounding the high altar. 

The historic pews were completely repaired and refinished. The decorative program includes a wonderful communion of saints mural, commissioned for this project, with saints selected by the parish. And the celestial sky above and behind the historic reredos completes the composition.

But before we get to the 'after' let's take a look at what came before it (and also, what came before that):

BEFORE

BEFORE THE 'BEFORE' (1885):

What you can see in comparing these two photos  (other than the rather delightful inclusions of ladies and a gentleman dressed in period Victorian dress) is that the church was substantially the same, architecturally speaking, but what is quite different between it and the modern "before" is that all of the decorative stencilling had been removed from the walls and ceiling. As such, while the high altar and its reredos appear to have been mercifully left alone (or at very least left intact somewhere such that it could be reinstalled), the plain white-washed and grey-washed surface of the 'updated' sanctuary was pretty anti-climactic and uninspiring. One was left with the feeling of a building left unfinished, especially when you compare the plainness of those surfaces with the colour and detailing going on with the reredos. 

Enter the Integration Design Group who made a point of taking cues from the historical decoration to once again add colour and ornament back into the church. (They also removed the carpeting

AFTER::

I would also point out that the carpeting has been removed and the altar rail has even found its way back into the church.

Some further details:

I am especially impressed by the gothic revival style floor tiling placed around the altar.  

Finally, a look back toward the narthex.

Most certainly a move back in the right direction. 

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