St. Theresa Education Center
By: Jennifer Walker-Journey

St. Theresa Education Center
Sugar Land, Texas

When the parishioners of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Sugar Land, Texas, listed opening a school as their No. 1 priority, Father Stephen Reynolds knew he wanted the physical design of the building to fit the academic expectations his parishioners had for the school.

"This is a classic institution based upon the building blocks of western civilization," he said. "The design of the building should reflect the objectives of the school."

To carry out his vision, Father Reynolds called on Duncan G. Stroik Architects, located in South Bend, Indiana. The priest had worked with the firm on two previous projects – a daily mass chapel and a sanctuary renovation. He expressed to them his desire for a new Education Center to be located on the church's campus, and how important it was that the building reflect the church's dedication to its academic philosophy. He emphasized this by encouraging the architects to study the buildings at St. Mary Seminary and Rice University, both located in nearby Houston, Texas.

"During one of our first visits to Houston for the Education Center project, (Father Reynolds) took us on tours of both facilities, sharing with us those features that he would like to incorporate into his building," said Jamie LaCourt, project architect. "Both (buildings), historic and recent, symbolize excellence in education throughout greater Houston."

Since the Education Center was a new school, one that would build off its existing pre-kindergarten program by adding a grade a year through eighth grade, LaCourt developed a master plan that would grow along with enrollment. The Education Center would be the first phase and set the standard for future designs. The second phase would be an expansion to the Education Center adding additional classrooms and office space. The third phase would add a new Refectory building and a new or renovated Community Center. The final phase would be the construction of a new church, parish office building, and rectory. 

Because the project would be built in phases, LaCourt designed the Education Center to accommodate multiple uses that could change over time. For example, the facility would initially allow for parish and school functions; however, the design allows the building to adapt to a future single use as the site develops.

Father Reynolds also made another request of the architect: that the building last centuries, not decades. To do anything but that would lay a burden on future generations.

"The primary objective was to build a beautiful, enduring building with plenty of natural light in the classrooms," LaCourt said. "Secondary to this was, of course, an adequate number of classrooms and office spaces to serve the function of the building."

Another important element with the school's design was equipping the students to live in a modern world without diminishing their ability to relate socially with others or force them into an overdependence upon unsustainable technology.

"Thus, we designed the classrooms and public spaces to emphasize these relationships first, with the technology operating discreetly and secondarily," LaCourt said. "Data outlets were incorporated into the custom designed traditional furniture. A modern dedicated computer lab is available for the students, and the classroom design accommodates for the harmonious future installation of smart boards or projector systems."

In keeping with Father Reynolds' wishes regarding the exterior of the Education Center, the school was designed to allude to the Spanish masonry and collegiate inventiveness of neighboring Rice University and St. Mary's Seminary.

"The façade alludes to the traditional hacienda schools of the area and alludes, in both the parish and school entrance, to Houston's residential brick building heritage so as to give it an intimate character to a building that is capable of housing nearly 400 students and staff," he said.

To achieve this, Father Reynolds selected the same local brick and stone that is used at St. Mary Seminary. Architects introduced the darker brick banding as a way to enhance the exterior much like the buildings at Rice University. The main entry was placed next to the existing church, articulated by a façade with banded brickwork and arches, limestone and marble details. The Ionic doorway leads to a two-story lobby with a skylight above. The brick stonework gives the school the strength to last a century.

Construction on the new Education Center began in January 2008, and was dedicated in August 2009, just in time for the 2009-2010 school year. It was the first time many of the St. Theresa parishioners had seen the interior, with abundant windows shedding light on detailed wainscoting.

For more than a decade, Duncan G. Stroik Architect, LLC has focused on the design of ecclesiastical, civic, residential and collegiate building that combine a passion for durability, function, and beauty, www.stroik.com.