
Jacob's Well - Addition and Renovation
Experiencing continual growth the Jacob’s Well community approached BNIM Architects to increased the spatial capacity of the congregation and address the accessibility deficiencies of their existing neighborhood church. Beyond these programmatic needs, the addition’s design is a cumulative response to the three primary considerations; the character of the existing 1930’s structural masonry facility, the creative nature of the congregation, and the desire to create spaces for universal gathering.
Schematic Design Diagrams

Push + Pull Volume

Surface Planting

Drape and Shade

Final Overall

Design Response to the Existing Church
+ Contemporary masonry approach
Addition - slate rainscreen
Existing - structural brick walls
+ Honesty in Assembly
Addition - wood glulam and decking structure
Existing - false heavy timber cladding of steel structure
Following the Congregational Identity
+ Inspired by the clients music community, the project was designed using grid multiples of 4 and details were integrated in rhythms considerate of this composition. Additionally, a visual artist composed cnc’d wood “windows” which represent the congregation and forms of the existing building within the new fellowship hall.
Community Gathering, Inside and Out
+ Interior spaces of gathering for education and fellowship spill out to exterior courtyards and vegetative amphitheater which publicly accessible.



AIA Kansas City Award Quote
“We really appreciated the integration of building and landscape; the building section of the addition is really wonderful. It really creates strong uses and connections between the old and the new. From the interior of the new building you really get interesting perspectives to the existing and there’s a really strong presence of the original architecture in the new. It’s very respectful, very modest, but really well detailed. The quality of craft and thought that was put into it was really exceptional.”
—Jennifer Yoos, FAIA | VJAA
Additional AIA Kansas City Jury Members
+ Matthew Kreilich, FAIA | Snow Kreilich Architects
+ Jennifer Newsom, AIA | Dream the Combine

Location
Kansas City, Missouri
Type
Non-Profit Religious, Professional
Project Size
7,615 SF
Firm
BNIM Architects | Kansas City, Missouri
Status
Constructed, 2018
Client
Jacob's Well Congregation
Awards
+ AIA Kansas City
Design Excellence, Small | Honor 2018
+ AIA Kansas
Design Excellence | Honor 2018
+ AIA Central States
Design Excellence | Merit Award 2018