Pictured: Alison Monteith, managing director of Monteith
Scott
A congregation's prayers have been answered with a refurbishment
of their church designed to encourage more people to
visit.
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, at Ely Street,
Stratford-upon-Avon, is due to undergo an extension and
refurbishment in 2012. Birmingham-based interior designers Monteith
Scott has been tasked with designing the church to make it more
approachable and inspire more visitors and tourists to go
inside.
Working alongside architects Corstorphine & Wright, Monteith
Scott's brief was to create a space that is for the community,
which will be used by local families as well as visitors to
Stratford.
Alison Monteith, managing director of Monteith Scott, said: "The
design will be fresh, colourful and contemporary, which will help
to create an inviting atmosphere for current members of the church
as well as the general public.
"The space will be family-friendly with a reading room and
lending library. We are also putting intellectual phrases on the
walls and ceiling to help engage visitors and inform them of the
church's beliefs."
Monteith Scott has also recently completed a consultancy project
with The Saltisford Evangelical Church in Albert Street,
Warwickshire, which will undergo a refurbishment and upgrade of its
existing premises during 2012. The designers advised the church on
finishes and lighting.
Alison added: "The team has enjoyed working on the church
projects as it gives us the opportunity to widen our portfolio and
show that we can apply our design skills to places of worship as
well as offices and bars, which we are more well-known for. It also
shows we can adapt our services to suit small projects as well as
large scale fit outs and refurbishments."
Monteith Scott, which is based in the Jewellery Quarter,
Birmingham, is led by managing director Alison Monteith, design
director Derek Matthews and technical director John Millington. The
company has two divisions - Work and Play - operating across a
range of sectors, which means that it understands the demands of
its clients' industries.