When building committees at houses of worship look to expand their campuses, they seldom are looking to add full-sized gyms anymore, architects say. That type of facility was more popular 10 to 15 years ago, says Trung Doan of Studio Red Architects in Houston. “Unless there is a school component, churches can’t afford to build an 8,000- to 10,000-square-foot space and use it [only] three hours a day or two days a week.”
Architects say that the demand for full-sized fitness centers or gyms has given way to a more thoughtful discussion about a new building’s precise usage and ways to maximize its flexibility. Today, churches are first asking what specific functions a new center is expected to fill, who will use it, how many others will use it for other purposes, and what those purposes might be.
Purpose & nuance
“These are the kinds of discussions we’re seeing now,” says Ben Heimsath of Heimsath Architects in Austin, Texas. “They are much more nuanced.” Eric MacInerney at Heimsath Architects reports that often the church center is built before the sanctuary, making those early decisions crucial to the church’s later development.
While it is still common to find a multipurpose facility built a decade or more ago whose primary use is for basketball, it is also common to see that facility paired with a kitchen and often a stage. Doan says such “cafetoriums” can cater to church dinners, fund-raisers, basketball and volleyball games and Scouting events. Today, churches have added theatrical performances, including praise and worship services, onto the list of functions of a multipurpose room, and—sometimes—they even serve as funeral parlors.###CALLOUT### For builders today, that type of facility will sport more technology, including Wi-Fi and an enhanced AV system, with theatrical lighting and projectors for hi-definition video. As the building’s accessories become more elaborate, budget issues provide added impetus to picking priorities.
Doan reports that early conceptual discussions sometimes lead a house of worship away from building a rec center. “One church client was thinking about a gym, but realized it was not the business they were in,” he says.
Community draw
Still, if a house of worship or a religious organization is looking to expand its community outreach, then a center anchored by fitness facilities has the potential to draw in the neighbors. “The Salvation Army has a community mission” in Dallas, says Doan, and it is building a series of community centers with fitness facilities to serve as a magnet for the surrounding community. For houses of worship that will use their gym primarily for their congregation, architects say that visitors should be required to check in through a limited access way to ensure appropriate security.
Most churches have multiple audiences they are serving and, as they plan for a new center, architects say that conversations about usage should include some discussion about what future activities might be housed in the new space. For example, will a multipurpose room need kitchen facilities now or in the future? “There’s a lot of eating that goes with fellowship,” says MacInerney.
If praise and worship services are planned for the room, then lighting becomes a central issue. The stage may require a beefed-up electrical system to support sophisticated lighting and sound equipment, and it may also mean that day lighting, which can interfere with the effect of theatrical lighting, will need to be carefully controlled.
A key concern in planning for multipurpose rooms, says MacInerney, is to ensure sufficient storage space for chairs and tables. In one case, Heimsath Architects was brought in because the original multipurpose space was seen as too small; what they found was that one-third of the existing space was being turned into storage. It is often the case that space originally earmarked for storage has morphed into an additional classroom, putting pressure on the existing facility.
Part of the larger whole
Building a gym or fitness center as part of a church campus does require additional effort to ensure that it blends in with surrounding activities that are not centered on sports, say architects and builders. A key issue is acoustics, says Doan. “We try to isolate the sound from room to room by treating the ceilings and the walls.”
Trey Morris, a project manager for Pro Building Systems Inc. in Atlanta, says it is also necessary to keep your end-users in mind when specifying materials: “Children will throw pencils that stick to the ceiling tiles, which may require you to replace them with different materials.” Athletes may also end up bouncing balls off the ceiling; if an architect specified vinyl panels that can become brittle with age, then a budget-based decision could lead to a costly renovation.
Morris adds that it is important to remember that even though a church gym may have special considerations, it is still a facility that requires the standard sprinkler systems, HVAC requirements and plumbing codes for shower rooms. “It all boils down to what local ordinances require,” he notes.
“The Salvation Army has a community mission” in Dallas, and it is building a series of community centers with fitness facilities to serve as a magnet for the surrounding community.
—TRUNG DOAN, Studio Red Architects, Houston, TX.
Overall, Doan reports that a sports facility requires a different, better grade of material. “For example, it is difficult to see the difference between a 6-mil vs. a 10-mil port flooring, but the performance is very different,” he adds. “At the end of the day, it needs to last.”
Renovation projects involving fitness centers bring a host of different issues, says Dr. Alex Bitterman, an associate professor in the Department of Design & Architecture at Alfred State SUNY College of Technology, southeast of Buffalo, N.Y.
In declining Rust Belt cities like Buffalo, empty churches have been turned into office buildings, fitness centers and retail outlets, and a number of congregations have renovated parts of their campuses into apartments, business incubators and other uses that offer fitness centers.
“However, frequently, fitness centers were never part of the original plan for the building,” Bitterman says. “One of the most significant challenges is incorporating proper HVAC mechanicals into the space.” Often, fitness centers are placed in basements, where additional ventilation is needed to siphon off the added humidity of a room full of exercising athletes.
Other major upgrades can include the installation of high-pressure water service, beyond what a normal church would need, as well as acoustics and vibration improvements. “Ten to 12 people running on a treadmill can create a significant amount of vibration and noise,” Bitterman notes, adding that structural upgrades, which can be complex and costly, are often a major obstacle in converting church space to a gym.
Still, whether a gym is built into an existing facility, is a standalone feature or one use of a multipurpose room, architects agree that it is meant to draw people in. “Most churches need a place to gather because most of the congregation likes to get together,” says MacInerney. While Heimsath adds: “The idea is to service the community in the fullest sense at all times of the day.”
10-Point Building Checklist By Heimsath Architects
- Understand who the users are and what they need.
- Storage. Putting away everything, especially in a center with multiple uses, is a must to maintain smooth operation. Everything with a place and everything in its place.
- Location, location, location. Is the structure placed strategically on the campus for easy use by the congregation?
- Flooring. The type of flooring—tile, wood, carpet—will depend on the space’s primary uses.
- Sports equipment. What level of sports will be played and what types of equipment will be used in the room? Those answers will determine how the room is configured.
- Lighting. If sports is the primary use, then perhaps natural lighting will be useful. If praise and worship services will be held there, then lighting control becomes a key issue.
- Stages and platforms. Even temporary stages need AV and electrical hookups.
- Showers. While not technically part of the gym, they are usually needed for any sporting event. Design them so they can be closed off when there is no planned gym activity.
- HVAC. Realistically, how many people will use the space? Design your system with large volumes and low air flows to minimize noise.
- Acoustics. Covering walls and ceilings with the appropriate material will dampen sound that might disturb other building users.
