designing worship areas

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Table of Contents

LAYING THE FOUNDATION 4This brand-new series goes in-depth on the “heart” of church design: the worship space

By Curtiss H. Doss, AIA

WORSHIP TAKES SHAPE: 6An in-depth look at the traditional worship space and the elements through which it contributes to a person’s worship experience


ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE: EXAMINING NON-TRADITIONAL WORSHIP VENUES 8As we present Part 3 of this seven-part series, we should remind ourselves of a primary concept: Every church is different.

With this particular article, that’s especially true. n fact, the non-traditional worship space can be almost anything.


STUDENT WORSHIP CENTERSComing in June 2015

CHILDREN’S WORSHIP AREASComing in August 2015

ALTERNATIVE SITE OPTIONSComing in October 2015

THE INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGY ON WORSHIP SPACES Coming in December 2015


Beginning a seven-part series on worship space design can be a bit intimidating.

There are so many avenues to consider, so many topics to discuss, and so many variables which can create completely different outcomes.Where do we start?

The concept of worship is somewhat elusive in that the word means different things to different people. Similarly, the design of worship spaces — or, better said, the ability to create a space

which evokes and contributes to a person’s worship experience — has equally different meanings to different people. Space, in general, has different effects on people.

Suffice it to say that we will likely only touch the “hem of the topic.” But, in doing so, maybe we can establish some critical criteria from which to serve you, the Church Executive audience, as you consider how to apply the series’ tenets to your own churches.

No two churches are alikeThe most important concept to communicate throughout

this series is this: Every church is different. In fact, at the risk of sounding repetitive, every church is so different that the point can’t be overstressed.

Each church has a DNA which must be honored. This DNA is made up of several factors, or lenses, including:

Health. Each church and its leadership has a need to constantly measure the unity of the body — its health — as one significant lens.


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Culture. Each church has a culture which (while hopefully in a slow constant change for all the good reasons) is another lens through which to view the entire concept of worship space design.

Ministries and programs. For many of us, an easier connection to the thought of designing worship spaces can be observed through the lens of ministries and programs.

Facilities. Obviously, existing facilities and / or the thought of future facilities impact this thought process as one considers worship space design.

Giving. A church’s financial capability to fund the design and construction of a worship space has a tremendous impact on this process.

Location. Finally, the location — not only in terms of locale, but also region, country and the world — will impact the design of a worship space.

The desire is to incorporate critical information about these topics for use by you, the readers, as you consider all the questions surrounding the worship area — which, at any church, is the heart of the campus for members and visitors alike.

The changing face of the worship spaceIn today’s post-church U.S. culture, a new paradigm has emerged.

The creation of a worship environment is more challenging — for all types of worship spaces — than in earlier decades.

In many cases, the public’s recognition of — and response to — church architecture is somewhat less than positive now; it might even be characterized as intimidating and austere. The vocabulary of church architecture (stained glass, soaring heights, masonry, the long basilica plan) is received by those who experience it as less than welcoming.

Throughout history, architecture has been used to draw people’s focus to the vertical relationship between the individual and God. In recent times, however, architecture has been used to create an

envelope of space to support the horizontal relationship between man and man, and the communication and technological aspects present in worship spaces. Rarely any more does a space evoke, in and of itself, the vertical relationship; many factors are at play, but certainly they include acoustics / music styles, technology of sound and video, and creature comforts in seating

Given the new paradigm, how do we design worship spaces which will communicate to the attender / visitor a warm, welcoming environment — not intimidating or austere — while clearly pointing people to the One we worship? Is it possible to accomplish this task and let the communications and technology be awesome, yet not the focus of the space?

We believe it is!The practicality of the process has many moving parts. There is the

structure of the church itself, which includes its denomination or affiliation with like-minded churches. There is a church staff, including the leader (pastor) and sometimes various staff members. There is usually at least one committee (if not more) which plays a critical role in the process. There can also be a host of design professionals / consultants, including the architect, various engineers and specialty consultants for technology, seating, liturgy and more.

As if that is not enough, there are outside influences to the design process — money, project restraints related to site and / or other facilities, and specialty factors associated with the specific church client, to name a few.

This series will allow all these elements to be fleshed out while covering the range of worship space types. Our desire is to provide meaningful information which will prove useful as the church executive reading the series puts the information to use.

Curtiss H. Doss, AIA is principal of McGehee Nicholson Burke (MNB) Architects in Memphis, TN. www.mnbarchitects.com Doss has consulted with church clients for more than 20 years, and his architectural practice spans more than 30 years.

First Baptist Church Milan — Milan, TN (Photo provided by MNB Architects)


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Worshipshapetakes

Examining traditional sanctuary design —

past, present and future


As Part 2 of this “Designing

Worship Areas” series begins, let’s

reiterate a primary concept from

Part 1: Every church is different. Having restated that precept, let’s

now look at the traditional worship

space and the elements through

which it contributes to a person’s

worship experience.

Calvary Baptist Church — Tupelo, MS (Photo courtesy of MNB Architects)


A COMFORTING CLASSICWe are all too familiar with the historical basilica-plan church. For

centuries, it was the standard of worship design.Over the centuries, this plan type has evolved in terms of the materials

used, as well as the increasing knowledge of how to maximize those materials. Some cathedrals embody the best of these features: soaring heights; expanses of stained glass; and long, reverberant atmospheres created within the structure. The continuation of this plan design to western culture and the United States is still seen in many of our older houses of worship.

Even in the 21st century, worship rooms which seat up to 700 use this plan. This size and type of room — with a platform or chancel area hosting the pulpit and / or lectern, choir and instruments — is not only expected by many churchgoers but is seen as a stable and soothing environment for worship. While the ceiling heights might not rival those of the cathedrals, they are representative of the room size and contribute to the environment of a special place for a special purpose.

It is not uncommon for such a room to have windows filled with beautiful storied stained glass. Seating is generally pews, and technology is limited.

The church I grew up attending — about an hour outside Memphis in a rural farming community of Eastern Arkansas — fits this description. The place said “church,” and worship was a strong life-element for my family and the community.

Whether you grew up in a similar environment, you have seen pictures of (or possibly worshiped in) a room like this before. With all its interior finish elements — coupled with regular and special worship services, baptisms, communion (Lord’s Supper), weddings and funerals — it created a centralizing place for my family and my community.

FAN-SHAPED PHENOMENONCompared to centuries of traditional basilica

design, the more recent history of larger rooms is primarily shaped by one construction feature — the ability to span large rooms with steel structures — and one desire: to keep the congregation close to the pulpit area for communication and intimacy. Though not connected, these two elements have begun to change the landscape of the traditional worship space. Being able to span large rooms with steel structures has allowed the implementation

of the “fan-shaped” room into the worship area design — a space in which seating sections are laid out in concentric rings, or segmented arcs, focused on the platform and interrupted by aisles leading people from the back toward the front of the room. Initially, this layout was seen as much less formal. For several decades, it continued to be used in rooms seating larger numbers of people, all for one primary reason: It brought a large number of people closer to the platform. This model has grown to be regarded as the traditional design solution for large rooms, typically with a seating capacity of 700 or more.

SOME THINGS NEVER (AND SHOULDN’T) CHANGEWith the increased use of technology in church, the elements

evoking worship have begun to include quality audio systems, creative lighting systems, video systems, and even the use of TV broadcast and Internet streaming.

Why all these changes? One can find the answer in a simple statement: There is a need to communicate to people in a clear, effective, multimedia manner such that the Gospel — the good news of Jesus — can be shared and received. To reach worshippers in this post-church culture, their expectations must be exceeded.

So, how does all this help you, the church executive, create a worshipful atmosphere for the people? We can distill it down to a few key conclusions.

Conclusion #1: We are living in a post-church culture. We can trace the need to change with the advent of new engineering, new technologies, and new methods of communication. It all keeps changing, and fast. What has not changed is the message of the Gospel, regardless of a church’s type, denomination or “flavor.”

Conclusion #2: The concept of “tradition” has changed — and will continue to do so. How we embrace this change will determine whether or not we return to the place I reminisce about: the church as the centralizing element of the family and the community, regardless of its architecture.


Collierville United Methodist Church — Collierville, TN (Photo courtesy of MNB Architects)

Fan-shaped at its finest: University Baptist Church — Fayetteville, AR (Photo

courtesy of MNB Architects)


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Calvary Baptist Church — Tupelo, MS (Photo courtesy of MNB Architects)

examining non-traditional worship venues

ALL THINGSALL PEOPLE:to

As we present Part 3 of this seven-part series, we should remind ourselves of a primary concept: Every church is different.


WITH THIS PARTICULAR ARTICLE, THAT’S ESPECIALLY TRUE. IN FACT, THE NON-TRADITIONAL WORSHIP SPACE CAN BE ALMOST ANYTHING.

So, what does a non-traditional worship space necessarily include? Some elements are universal: a room, a floor, some walls and a roof — sometimes with a ceiling.

It includes seats (most likely chairs), which are oriented toward a central focal point in the room, generally a platform. Likely, this platform is elevated a bit and outfitted with musical instruments, singers and a preacher.

You’ll typically find technical equipment such as a sound system, lighting, video and — depending on the size of the space — possibly an acoustical treatment on the various room surfaces.

And of course, there are people in the room.

SO, WHAT MAKES THIS A NON-TRADITIONAL WORSHIP SPACE?

That’s a good question — one which is best answered by two overarching elements.

#1: The building structure in which the room exists. The structure that houses this kind of worship space can be almost any kind of building, but it won’t likely resemble the traditional church structure we investigated in Part 2 of this series.

Rather, non-traditional worship spaces can occupy transitional spaces intended to support a growing church. In an existing church, this might be a multipurpose space. For a new church or a church-on-the-move, it might take the form of a repurposed school, grocery store, “big box” store, strip mall, or a stand-alone building.

#2: Worship style. In non-traditional worship spaces, I’m optimistic that the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as presented in the Bible is clearly, concisely relayed by the preacher to those in the seats — typically in a less formal way. Terms such as “progressive” and “contemporary” have been used to differentiate this worship style. Yet, I believe these aren’t entirely effective and can even lead to unnecessary discussions based on personal preferences rather than the worship for which the room was intended, for which the specific church was

founded, and to which even this series is devoted: authentic worship of Jesus.

One of these non-traditional room types — the multipurpose room — has gained popularity for its flexibility and cost-effectiveness. Worship spaces, gymnasiums and fellowship halls are found on many church campuses; the combination of these elements can simultaneously support multiple ministry options. Multipurpose rooms can take on the image of any element of its use based on the ultimate, long-term intended use. Or, it can transition from one use to another as dictated by the needs of the church over time.

We have found multipurpose worship spaces to be particularly beneficial to church clients undergoing renovation. That’s because these spaces support multiple ministry events while also functioning as worship venues.

Even so, the worship area’s aesthetics don’t necessarily need to resemble a gymnasium. Rather, they can be conducive to the acoustical needs of a worship space while supporting the needs of a gymnasium or a fellowship hall. These rooms can even accommodate breakdown into smaller rooms to support conferences and other small group needs.

Although there are technical challenges inherent to a multipurpose room which are different than a more traditional worship space, these can be overcome with a qualified technical consultation.

For new churches or churches in transition, financial capabilities and stewardship concerns favor a multipurpose format for the worship area compared to a single, dedicated room for this purpose. Most of all, this approach enables ministry dollars to drive ministry, not debt.

MANY FORMS, ONE GOAL

We have established that worship areas come in many shapes and sizes. Yet, the goal should always be the same, whether this space is traditional or non-traditional, housed in a repurposed grocery store, or a transitional multipurpose room or a multifunctional room for a larger church body. That goal is to worship Jesus.

What better purpose can there be?


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designing worship areas

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