The Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church is a thoughtfully designed campus that blends timeless Catholic traditions with contemporary architecture, creating a welcoming place of worship that serves the spiritual, educational, and community needs of its growing parish. Located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the church respectfully bridges its surrounding context—nestled between a large hotel development and an established residential neighborhood—while establishing a distinctive architectural presence rooted in faith, history, and place.

A defining feature of the campus is its iconic campanile, which serves as both a visual landmark and a tribute to the parish's rich history. Inspired by the bell tower of the original 1930s church, the alpine-style campanile and copper-clad apse create an instantly recognizable identity while honoring generations of parishioners. These elements establish a strong civic presence along the street while maintaining a scale and material palette that complements the surrounding neighborhood.

The 28,000-square-foot campus is organized around a series of interconnected spaces that support worship, fellowship, education, and ministry. The program includes a spacious main sanctuary, an intimate adoration chapel, welcoming gathering spaces, a parish hall, administrative offices, and classrooms for parish education. Together, these spaces create a flexible environment that accommodates daily worship, religious instruction, community events, and parish life.

Natural materials—including regional stone, warm wood, and copper accents—define the architecture and reinforce the church's connection to the Rocky Mountain landscape. A carefully composed series of rooflines and vertical masses breaks down the scale of the building, allowing the expansive campus to feel approachable and harmonious within its residential surroundings while expressing the timeless character of sacred architecture.

The arrival sequence was designed to create a meaningful transition from the outside world into a place of reflection and worship. A landscaped, moat-like courtyard frames the primary entrance, with a bridge leading visitors into a bright gathering space that serves as a threshold between the public realm and the sacred interior. This processional experience prepares worshippers for the spiritual journey beyond while creating an inviting and accessible entrance for parishioners and visitors alike.

The project's most transformative achievement is the adaptive reuse of the parish's original 1960s chapel, which was thoughtfully reimagined as the centerpiece of the new campus. Rather than replacing the existing sanctuary, Ward Blake Architects preserved its structural character while dramatically enhancing the worship experience through the introduction of clerestory windows and intersecting chapel wings that form a luminous cruciform composition. Abundant natural daylight fills the sanctuary, creating an uplifting atmosphere that reinforces the symbolic importance of light within Catholic worship.

Every aspect of the sanctuary was carefully designed to enrich the liturgical experience. Angled pews subtly orient the congregation toward the altar, while acoustically engineered ceiling assemblies enhance speech intelligibility and musical performance. Existing glulam roof beams were preserved and celebrated, blending the history of the original church with the contemporary additions to create a seamless architectural expression that honors both past and present.

Site planning also maximizes functionality without increasing the perceived scale of the building. By partially embedding the lower level into the landscape, the design discreetly accommodates a K–3 parish education center while preserving the welcoming character of the campus and creating additional usable space for educational and community programs.

The Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church embodies Ward Blake Architects' philosophy of designing sacred spaces that foster worship, strengthen community, and celebrate a profound connection to place. Through thoughtful adaptive reuse, timeless materials, abundant natural light, and a deep respect for liturgical tradition, the project creates an enduring spiritual home that will serve the Jackson Hole community for generations.

Location

Jackson, Wyoming

Project Size

28,000 sq. ft.