The Church Properties Initiative at the University of Notre Dame is helping to surface a reality that many congregations are beginning to recognize. Faith-based organizations are not on the sidelines of the housing conversation. They are uniquely positioned to shape it.

At this year’s conference, the idea of Yes In God’s Backyard, or YIGBY, felt less like a trend and more like a shift in responsibility.

Not every building is a chapel. Not every space is meant for worship. 

And yet, many still need to feel sacred. 

At the Madonna University Welcome Center, the goal was not to create a place of worship, but something equally important. A space that reflects faith, memory, and meaning in everyday experience. A building that welcomes and still reveres. 

There’s a moment in every makerspace when an idea becomes real. When a student draws a circuit plan, that’s great … but to print it and plug it in, that’s when the magic happens. That shift from concept to creation is where real learning happens. And increasingly, it is shaped by the environments where that work occurs.

On March 5, 2026, Mission Grammar School broke ground on the first phase of a multi-phase campus transformation in Boston’s Mission Hill neighborhood, marking a pivotal moment for one of the city’s most enduring educational institutions. For a school with a legacy that stretches back generations, the ceremony was more than the start of construction. It was the visible beginning of a larger commitment to renewal, one rooted in the belief that the design of a school can shape not only how students learn, but how a community gathers, identifies itself, and looks toward the future.

Architecture has always been shaped by place, and certain cities exert a gravitational pull on culture, institutions, and intellectual life in ways that extend far beyond their geographic boundaries. Boston is one of those cities. For MKC Architects, the opening of a Boston office represents far more than a simple geographic expansion or a symbolic milestone in the life of the firm. It is a strategic and deeply considered step that strengthens our ability to serve clients nationally and internationally while remaining grounded in the mission-driven institutional work that has defined our practice for more than a century.

While the St. Thomas University Residence Hall establishes 500 new on-campus beds, its real significance is that it demonstrates, in built form, a thesis that higher education is now learning to articulate more clearly: student housing is an infrastructure for improved mental health.

Before you ever step inside, you can sense it. There’s a certain energy in a place where ideas are allowed to be messy. Where prototypes sit half-finished on a table. Where students from completely different disciplines gather around the same problem and start sketching, testing, and debating. It’s not quiet in the traditional academic sense — it hums.

For more than a century, St. Mary School has played a vital role in the fabric of the German Village community, serving generations of students and families with a strong foundation in faith, education, and service. As enrollment grew and educational needs evolved, the school recognized an opportunity to reimagine its campus — not by abandoning its historic roots, but by thoughtfully building upon them. 

On June 5, 2025, MKC Architects will present at the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio (AICUO) Annual Collaborative Conference, held at The Point at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. Matthew Teismann, President and CFO of MKC Architects, will discuss the 'Lease-Back Model Development: How and Why it Works for Small Colleges and Universities.'

MKC Architects designs ecclesiastical spaces that feel alive — places where people of all ages can gather, worship, and connect. Together with parish leaders and communities, we shape spaces that are both meaningful and practical — places that reflect the spirit of the people who use them every day. Our model and mission were developed specifically to benefit small, private, and primarily Catholic institutions. It is our continuous mission to create spaces that enrich the lives of faith-based communities through architectural design. 

A parish center is more than just a building; it is the heart of a faith community, a place where worship, fellowship, ministry and service come together. Whether the goal is to renovate an existing facility or build a new one, the process of designing a church parish center requires a deep understanding of the congregation’s needs, aspirations, and traditions.

The Evolution of Makerspaces:

Makerspaces, also known as hacker spaces, or innovation labs, are collaborative workspaces where individuals gather to create, invent, and learn through hands-on experimentation. Initially rooted in STEM education, makerspaces have evolved into versatile environments that encompass a wide range of disciplines, including arts, crafts, design, and even entrepreneurship.

Traditional classrooms have long been designed to accommodate a wide range of learning needs within a single space. From lectures and group activities to independent study and technology use, these classrooms are expected to be multi-functional by default. However, this built-in redundancy often leads to inefficiencies in space utilization, resource allocation, and overall student engagement. Each classroom is expected to provide access to computers, project-based activity areas, quiet study zones, and teacher-led instruction, yet these functions often remain underutilized or even unused at different times of the day.

Higher education institutions are redefining student living by investing in state-of-the-art dormitories and mixed-use spaces that go beyond basic housing. Today’s students expect more than just a place to sleep—they seek an environment that enhances their academic, social, and personal growth. Universities and colleges are responding by creating vibrant, amenity-rich living spaces that support student success and well-being.

In the United States, there has been a noticeable missing density in urban development in many cities and metropolitan areas. The lack of density not only contributes to urban sprawl and increased traffic congestion but also exacerbates social and economic inequalities by limiting access to affordable housing options in desirable urban locations. MKC has been working with smaller local developers to help address this challenge in Columbus, Ohio. Most recently, we have completed preliminary design work for Reed-Miller Townhome Development on the ‘Granville Townhomes’ project, which are to be located in Olde Towne East.

MKC Architects has immediate openings for Project Architects at our Columbus, Ohio office. Interested candidates please send resume and portfolio to info@mkcinc.com.

We are excited to announce that the building permit was just issued for 508 State Street, and construction will start in Summer 2024!