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Thorp Associates is particularly thoughtful and perceptive in its approach to the planning and design of religious and ecumenical projects. The spiritual and functional needs of each unique congregation is carefully considered and respected, as is the collective reverence held for each structure as a house of worship.
| Community Church of the Rockies Outdoor Chapel - Estes Park, Colorado |
 The outdoor chapel, recently constructed for the Community Church of the Rockies, sits on a natural embankment overlooking the Fish Creek Valley, in Estes Park, Colorado. Envisioned as an enhancement of the existing meditation trail and a shelter for seasonal outdoor church services, the chapel was designed in character with its surrounding mountain environment. Special care was taken to protect two ancient pine trees, by locating major tap roots and installing drilled piers between them, to support the spread footings of the stone piers. The simplified form of the chapel roof is meant to soften its impact on the site, provide protection from westerly winds, and open the chapel to views of the valley below. Added cedar shingle detailing and copper flashing, topped with a copper clad cross, refine an otherwise rustic design into a dignified outdoor sanctuary for quiet meditation or celebration, as the occasion warrants. Acceptance and enthusiastic use of the facility by church members and local elk herds alike attest to a design in harmony with its environment, in context with its mountain setting, and appropriate to its ecumenical purpose. Noted for its unique structural and steel connection details, the Project received the Colorado A.I.A. North Chapter 1999 Merit Award for design excellence. |
| Lochwood Baptist Church - Lakewood, Colorado |
 The Lochwood Baptist Church commissioned Thorp Associates to assist them in accomplishing a master planning process that would lead to a multi-year remodeling and redevelopment of their existing thirty-year-old facility. Services included evaluation of the existing structure, programming meetings with all church-related organizations, master plan review and approval through the Jefferson County Planning Commission, and development of a phased plan to better utilize their existing facilities, while designing to accommodate future expansions. One of the highlights of the design process was the development of a multi-media presentation, utilizing computer modeling to illustrate the final design in photographic detail. |
| St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church - Estes Park, Colorado |
 Thorp Associates was proud to participate in the remodeling and addition to the St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church in Estes Park. The original church stands as a wonderful example of sophisticated mountain rustic design, and the congregation wanted the new Fellowship Hall and Administrative Wing to seamlessly match that character. Utilizing stone veneer foundation and vertical piers, with log walls to precisely match the existing material pallet, the project efficiently and aesthetically serves the growing needs of this historic congregation. |