Apostolic Truth Church patio in Appleton, WI, image courtesy of Live Design Group
After a year of quarantine screen time, new movement in design is emerging as the world moves deeper into 2021. The devastation of the pandemic has offered the church design community a new set of challenges and design imperatives that reflect the current experience.
In response, designers report that they are more aggressively focusing on creating engaging—and re-engaging—environments, scrambling to help their church clients find dedicated studio space for broadcast and streaming, and transforming worship using unorthodox venues, from theaters to gyms and even spaces that had never been tapped before.
Here's what designers tell Church.Design that they're experiencing, envisioning, and creating on behalf of the 2021 church.
1-Decrease in density on-site. A new reality is emerging. A vast number of congregants will no longer be in the room. People who are engaging from home will count as much as those who are physically participating. “As the virtual option is refined and expanding, onsite presence may not return to its regular capacity in the sanctuary or meeting areas,” says Lily del C. Berrios, AIA and LEED BD&C, principal and president of the Sizemore Group in Atlanta.
2-Re-branding is the norm. “We are working with congregations to create new visual brands, inspired by the in-person worship experience," says Timothy Hawk, FAIA and principal at WSA Studio in Columbus, Ohio. “In this blended physical and digital environment, we can already see the potential for a new reality to reinforce spiritual connections and provide access to religious lessons formerly reserved for the in-person experience.”
3-Church anytime, anywhere. “The increased use of virtual engagement has encouraged churches to switch to various forms of online venues as their primary way to keep in touch,” says Berrios. “Whether it's worship services, Sunday school, music, or meetings, we expect that mode will not go away as people return to in-person worship. Even the live programs are recorded and available for viewing anytime, anywhere, thus increasing outreach.”
4-Reinventing space. Traditionally, religious environments have been designed to exploit density, Hawk reports. “Sitting close to one another can heighten the experience and reinforce the sense of community,” he says. “Planning compact spaces results in a smaller footprint and reduced construction cost. But post-COVID, we are considering the evolving expectation surrounding the entire worship experience. We are adding size to pre-function spaces to support social distancing norms, considering added width for seating, reducing the number of connected and proximate seats in rows, and adding some leg room between rows. We are also planning flexibility into seating arrangements to support this evolving set of expectations.”
5-Increasing square footage. The pandemic has resulted in allocating more square feet per person in each component of a facility design, says Craig Krawczyk, LEED AP, president of Live Design Group in Birmingham, Alabama. “For example, we typically would allocate 6-8 square feet of lobby space per person in worship. There is now a desire to give more space per person, about 10-12 square feet. This increase per person is true in kids’ spaces, as well as worship.”
6-Hybrid format offering more options ... and challenges. Those who have focused on their old model have been pushed into a new reality. This new model brings together a live streaming digital experience with a physical presence. “People will want the option of either onsite or online, real time or asynchronous participation," says Berrios. “To give people access, churches will need to invest in infrastructure, equipment, hardware and software, and space.”
7-Multi-use space re-emphasis. Many churches are offering more opportunities for their congregations to get back together in person, Krawczyk says. “Utilizing multi-use spaces throughout the facility, taking place throughout the week, gets as many people as possible on campus, spread out through the facility rather than everyone together in one room.”
8-Social distancing goes outdoors. “Large patios, plazas, open-air pavilions, and outdoor amphitheaters are a great way to improve the space around the facility while providing outdoor activity and space for a large group to maintain social distancing. I think we are going to see more design focusing on outdoor environments,” Krawczyk notes.
9-Reinventing church identity. Multiple locations in the community will occupy more lease space and continue to grow, finds Berrios. “It is one viable option to reduce density on-site and increase visibility. An emerging third option is the ‘mobile’ church unit.”
10-Access + flow. “The separation of traffic flow may lead to better ways for people to move, particularly in denser settings,” Berrios states. “It may also open new ways of offering use to others in the community during non-worship hours.”
11-More focus on air quality. “A significant part of prevention will be keeping the air clean of dust, mold, bacteria, and even viruses," says Berrios. “That will require more natural ventilation or increasing air circulation and use of filters such as MERV to block airborne particles.”
