Come on in. Photos: Kevin Scott/Courtesy of Partners for Sacred Places
A recent redesign at Seattle's Saint James Cathedral is drawing international recognition for reimaging how people enter the First Hill church.
State of play: The cathedral's redesigned portico was named a winner of the 2026 Faith & Form International Awards, a program that recognizes standout religious architecture and design.
The project, by Seattle-based Gerrick Office, turns what had been a secondary entrance into a clear front door.
The Seattle project was one of 75 submissions from nine countries.
The entry redesign features a light monitor that brings in daylight and glows at night.
New brass doors reference the scallop shell associated with Saint James, and an expanded holy water stoup allows multiple visitors to participate at once.
It also restores elements of the building's historic design, rather than replacing them.
What they said: It's "an example of a small intervention that makes a profound impact on an existing religious structure," jurors wrote.
