Goals and Needs:

• Establish an in-depth architectural program designed to identify the exact needs of a congregation of 400 people.
• Creative design, while adhering to a tight budget, timeframe, ADA compliance and LEED certificate qualifications.
• Re-orient the main façade of the building to address a major thoroughfare.
• Exterior renovation to create a welcoming presence for a contemporary church facility in the community.
• Create a new main exterior entrance and spire.
• Space planning for a complete interior renovation of a warehouse space into a high-tech audio-visual and acoustically superior Sanctuary, Chapel, Fellowship Hall, and various support spaces including a kitchen.
• Cost conscious lighting design that is incorporated into the design concept for the building.

 Challenge:

• Creativity beyond conventional thinking to provide a phased cost conscious adaptive reuse of an existing 38 year-old office warehouse building into an attractive state-of-the-art contemporary worship, education, and community service facility.

Concept and Solutions:

• The existing rigid and large boxy nature of the pre-cast concrete building did not represent the welcoming and inclusive nature of the congregants, and literally required thinking beyond the box. Thus, curving elements in are incorporated into the plans and elevations of the building as a softening contrast that gives the building a human scale and sweeping visual interest.
• A blank concrete corner of the old warehouse is converted into a prominent dramatic composition of stained glass, pitched roof, and crucifix spire as a focal point that visually identifies the facility as a place of worship.
• Environmental concepts, such as existing west facing window alcoves shaded with growing “green screens,” were incorporated into the design.
• In response to the budget, the majority of the building exterior will be visually transformed by limited use of new materials in concentrated areas and generous use of simply paint in various shades on existing walls.
• Interior design of the narthex, library, board room, resource center, coffee bar, classrooms and administration offices reflects flexibility and contemporary conceptual ideas related to the symbolisms of the congregation in an abstract and economical approach.