Scotland A.M.E. Zion Church
Antunovich Associates
CULTURAL / PRESERVATION / FAITH
PROJECT OVERVIEW
A Sanctuary Built Through Struggle
Scotland A.M.E. Zion Church stands as one of the last remaining historic African-American church structures in Montgomery County, Maryland still serving its founding community. Built by hand in 1924 by formerly enslaved African Americans and their descendants, the church has long served as a spiritual, cultural, and social anchor.
Over more than a century, the church endured systemic challenges—including displacement pressures, environmental hazards, and infrastructure decisions that physically separated the church from its community. A government-led road relocation altered the site’s topography, placing the church in a flood-prone valley and increasing vulnerability over time.
Despite these conditions, the church remained a symbol of perseverance. Following a major flood event in 2019 that compromised its foundation, the congregation mobilized partnerships across public, private, and nonprofit sectors to envision a path forward.
The result is the Second Century Project—a plan to preserve, restore, and expand the church while ensuring its continued role as a center of worship, community, and cultural identity.
Rooted in history. Designed for the future.
THE ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT
The Arc and the Jewel
The design response to Scotland A.M.E. Zion Church carefully balances preservation with expansion—honoring the past while preparing for the future.
The historic church, known as the “Jewel,” remains the visual and cultural centerpiece—its white structure set within a wooded landscape representing legacy, memory, and identity.
The new addition, the “Arc,” extends along the rear of the site, responding to physical constraints including a protected burial ground and limited land area. Its curved form emerges as both a spatial solution and a symbolic gesture—embracing the site without overpowering it.
Materially, the addition blends contemporary and natural elements, allowing it to recede into the landscape while elevating the presence of the historic church.
Beyond form, the design addresses environmental justice—responding to long-standing flooding issues and creating a more resilient future for the congregation.
Preserve the legacy. Build the future.
ARTIST INTERPRETATION
Sanctified Ground
“Sanctified Ground” transforms the narrative of Scotland A.M.E. Zion Church into a powerful visual expression of faith, struggle, and liberation.
At the center of the installation, a figure emerges—bound, elevated, and defiant. Raised arms, restrained by chains, evoke both historical oppression and the ongoing fight for freedom. The imagery is unapologetic, confronting viewers with the tension between bondage and resistance.
Surrounding elements intensify this narrative. Flames suggest both destruction and transformation. The cross and candles introduce a spiritual dimension, grounding the work in faith, ritual, and the sacred role of the church. Together, these elements frame the church not only as a place of worship, but as a site of protection, resistance, and survival.
The work draws a direct connection between past and present—linking the history of the Scotland community to broader struggles for justice and equity. It challenges viewers to recognize that these histories are not distant—they continue to shape lived experience today.
Rather than offering comfort, the installation demands reflection, recognition, and accountability.
Faith as refuge.
Struggle as truth.
Liberation as legacy.
THE COLLABORATION
Where Faith, Resistance, and Architecture Converge
The collaboration between Antunovich Associates and artists Shawn “SP the Plug” Perkins and Cary Michael Robinson creates a layered narrative that moves beyond preservation into cultural and social commentary.
The architectural proposal establishes a framework for continuity—preserving the historic church while enabling its future. The artwork, in contrast, brings forward the emotional and political realities embedded within that history.
Together, they reveal the church as more than a structure—it is a site shaped by resilience, struggle, and faith. The installation bridges the physical and the symbolic, connecting the built environment to the lived experiences of the community it serves.
This collaboration reframes the project as both a design solution and a cultural statement—one that acknowledges history while asserting the necessity of justice and transformation.
A shared vision—where architecture holds memory, and art demands truth.
Scotland A.M.E. Zion Church
PROJECT DETAILS
Historic Preservation / Expansion / Faith-Based Community
FIRM
Antunovich Associates
ARTISTS
Shawn “SP the Plug” Perkins, Cary Michael Robinson
THEME
Resilience, Faith & Liberation
YEAR
2025