Digging Deep: Finding fellowship underground at Trinity Church in Boston

Aspiration

Trinity Church has been the beating heart of Boston’s Back Bay since its dedication in 1877. The congregation wanted to renew this treasured icon for the next century—giving new life to its role as a place for communal gathering and fellowship.

Important goals included:

Create a place to gather
Provide a church that works
Serve today’s ministries

Realization

Working closely with the client and construction manager—as well as federal, state and city landmark commissions, and community groups—Goody Clancy preservationists and architects performed a multi-dimensional renewal of this H.H. Richardson landmark. Phased over several years, our work addressed a range of prioritized issues, creating a Trinity Church ready to meet the needs of its congregation and community for the next century.

Named one of the Best New Spaces in Boston, the Undercroft designed by Goody Clancy has been used by more than 800 community groups.

Profiled in PBS’ Ten Buildings that Changed America:

Full show
Trinity Church piece

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Crawl space into gathering space

We excavated the unused space below the Sanctuary to create more than 13,000 square feet of meeting, classroom, and storage space. The new “Undercroft” provides a flexible venue for gatherings, lectures, meetings, and more.

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Creating flexible, new connections

The Undercroft can accommodate groups of all sizes. “Floating” seating around the perimeter is ideal for small interactions, celebrations, or just relaxing, enhancing the social framework of the parish.

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Circulation that works

Based on a careful evaluation of flow between the Sanctuary and Parish House, we made subtle changes that dramatically improved circulation, while retaining historic features.

“ A magnificent space mined out of the earth beneath Trinity Church in Copley Square, it serves as an informal assembly room. Architects Goody Clancy deepened and widened the shallow old basement, thus exposing the pyramidal bases of four granite piers that support the church above. A delicate tracery of wood spans the new space, giving it the feel of a garden house, while art-glass doors and partitions by Alexander Beleschenko are as delicate as a watercolor wash of distant scenery.”

- The Boston Globe Magazine

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Restoring great works of art

The partial interior restoration required extensive research and documentation to preserve the majestic, yet deteriorating, murals of encaustic and distemper paints created by John La Farge.

Energy from the earth

A state-of-the-art geo exchange heat pump system was designed and installed, providing energy-efficient heating and cooling to maintain an optimal environment.

Architecture, preservation and planning that inspire transformation