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So far in 2025…

Writer’s Retreat wins HBA Max Award for Custom Home/Project Design, 2025!

Bookshelf's surrounding the central window of a white room.

St. Julian of Norwich Parish Hall wins Outstanding Construction Award, Associated General Contractors’, 2024!

We are excited to announce the elevation of Navvab Taylor, AIA, RID, LEED AP BD+C to Associate Principal and Lauren Gamboa to Associate. Navvab exhibits design excellence and employs strong communication and project management skills to build and maintain rewarding client relationships. She is a champion for sustainable design and will serve as the firm’s Sustainability Leader, working collaboratively with clients to develop environmentally responsible solutions and ensuring the firm’s practices align with rigorous standards. Lauren demonstrates skillful management of the marketing department and a remarkable ability to execute with precision, creativity, and efficiency. Her expertise and attention to detail has driven successful campaigns and streamlined the firm’s marketing processes. We value the leadership and knowledge of these team members and are thrilled to spotlight their advancement!

Texas Facilities Commission, Groundbreaking for a new Archival and Records Storage Facility

Looking Back at 2024…

AIA Austin WiA Profiles 2024 featuring our Associate Navvab Taylor!

Hogg Memorial Auditorium achieves LEED Platinum Certification!

View along curved rows of seats in an auditorium, facing a series of windows.

AISD Sánchez Elementary School wins TxA Design Award 2024!

straight on view of stairway that also functions as a social gathering space in elementary school, books are displayed on the levels and children and teachers are in the foreground

Comedor wins AIA Austin Design Award of Merit 2024!

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River Ranch County Park wins a Texas Travel Award  and gets featured in Parks and Recreation Business Magazine! Have you been there yet?

Outdoor pavilion in a field of wildflowers.

 

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Smith Family Chapel

scroll View Project Description
  • Two floors of church pews.
  • A curved second floor balcony.
  • A curved second floor balcony.
  • Entrance and bell tower of chapel in light of a setting sun.
  • View of a church's turning stairwell from beneath.
  • The view of a churches stage.
  • A stone dove framed in a wall.
  • Candles along the pews in a chapel.

Project Process

Riverbend Church is located on a beautiful 52 acre campus in west Austin, comprised of eight different multi-purpose buildings. McKinney York worked to develop a master plan for the campus in collaboration with Overland Partners, and afterwards to include maintenance facilities, a retreat center, an office complex, a columbarium, additional education facilities, and a retirement community.

  • Diagram of a chapel from a bird's eye view.
  • An architectural model of a church.
  • Pencil sketch of building.

Project Details

While attending the inaugural service of the new 2,500-seat sanctuary at Riverbend Church, a teenage girl turned to her mother and asked, ”But where will I get married?” This question led to the concept for a more intimate chapel suitable for smaller services. The Smith family’s commission of this 300-seat chapel and their involvement in the design led to a traditional form reminiscent of their childhood churches. However, the spare detailing and subtle décor intentionally provides a clean palette for individual events to command their own settings. Along with conventional acoustical strategies, the design incorporates state-of-the-art systems for handling air, A/V needs, and lighting that do not intrude on the intimate setting. Despite its location near busy Loop 360, the chapel retains a feeling of calm, taking advantage of its setting above a ravine and near the hill country columbarium developed in conjunction with the chapel.

Recognition

  • Associated General Contractors of Austin, Outstanding Construction Award, 2001

Publication

  • InStyle, Celebrity Weddings, 2003
  • Newlyweds, Nick and Jessica, MTV, 2003

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