St. Giles Parish, Oak Park, IL

St. Giles Parish commissioned JNKA to design a full renovation of its existing Gleeson Building in order to create an Early Childhood Formation Center on the first floor, a multi-purpose Parish Hall on the second floor, and a welcoming covered entry addition that would visually connect it with the rest of the St. Giles campus. JNKA designed an inviting new exterior plaza and portico that mimics the architectural detailing of the adjacent church and incorporates the same Kasota limestone. A radial exterior stair allows for unhampered views of the parish campus; a new shared lobby was created to provide better flow and security for both floors; the Early Childhood Center was designed using a bold color scheme for way-finding; and the Parish Hall features a new cathedral ceiling, ornamental wood screen wall, new windows, EIFS, lighting, HVAC and A/V systems.