Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects is improving accessibility at Roland Park Presbyterian Church in Baltimore by installing an exterior ramp and interior elevator for ADA accessibility.
“The existing exterior of Roland Park is made of a stone from a quarry that is no longer available,” says Lauren Myatt, an architectural designer and Principal with Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects.
A common misstep would be to install something that is intended to match but misses the mark.
“We don’t want to do that, so instead, we’ve done a lot of research and found a stone that is not a match,” she says, “but is very complementary to what they have now.”
M&D’s renovations for Roland Park are very comprehensive. The areas the church currently has dedicated for meeting and gathering spaces are a bit dated and undersized.
“The original interior layout of the building, for example, is very closed off,” she says. “Visibility is lacking as you enter the facility. Their main entrance is very compartmentalized.”
The new design developed by Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects removes a number of walls, opens up and reconfigures interior spaces so that the church has a much more inviting feel to it, with new interior finishes and lighting throughout.
Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects took on the Architecture, Interior Design, & Overall Project Management for the new Bedford Elementary School, and the outcome is impactful.