Gary Shoemaker Architects PC

Lighthouse International Gathering

Valley Stream, New York

Project Details

Client: Lighthouse International Gathering

Square Footage: 4,500 sq. ft.

Project Architect: Olivia Paonita

MEPFP Engineer: JMV Consulting Engineering

Structural Engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers

Code Consultant: Jon Paul Design and Consulting

Code / Fire Safety Consultant: RMB Group

Repurposing a 1950s commercial television repair shop, this project re-envisions the building as a sanctuary for the Lighthouse International Gathering, transforming a utilitarian structure into a 'House of Light.' The design explores the theological and physical properties of light—descending, ascending, reflected and veiled—as a guiding force for community outreach. Three distinct vertical light vessels pierce the existing timber and steel roofline acting as instruments for shaping light to reinforce the ceremony of gathering. At night the main vessel acts as an illuminated beacon, signaling a safe harbor and a welcoming and transformative environment to the Valley Stream community. Through dramatic chiaroscuro effects, the design celebrates the existing structural skeleton, blending the building's industrial past with a transcendent future.