Images: Brady Architectural Photography
Not long ago, First Baptist Church of Mira Mesa in San Diego found itself growing with a dynamic young pastor in Elisha Rimestad, but in a church building that was tired, traditional and limiting. He became lead pastor in December of 2009 and wanted something different.
“The church hadn’t been remodeled in more than 35 years, so the campus was old and tired and needed more than a fresh coat of paint ... it needed a revamp,” Rimestad says. “We call it a replant because the church has been in its current location for a long time—since 1969. When I first took over, it was a much older congregation. We changed the name to Summit Point Church in 2017 because we wanted a change.”
“We call it a replant because the church has been in its current location for a long time—since 1969." Elisha Rimestad, Pastor, Summit Point Church, San Diego, CA
The church did the best it could with what they had to create a more contemporary worship venue, but eventually needed to get expert help. That’s when staff called on David Keitel, AIA, principal of San Diego-based domusstudio architecture.
“When we first met with the church, they wanted to expand the seating capacity and they were expecting to do an addition to accomplish this goal,” Keitel says. “They also had very limited and unrealistic funds for what they were hoping to accomplish.”
Rightsizing goals, realizing vision
Keitel assembled a group of seasoned consultants of similar budget mindset and paired the church with a great general contractor named Fred Franke.
“At domusstudio, we always say churches are like big custom homes and we have found in the past that some projects, like Summit Point, benefit from a smaller general contractor who has more residential type sub-contractors with smaller overheads and better quality than larger subs,” he says. “Collaboratively, we all worked together (church, architect, contractor) to bring in the project at an affordable price. It of course was still more than the church initially outlined to spend, but it was the reality of California prices and code requirements.”
Once everyone was on the same page, Keitel went to work.
“We looked at the skeleton of the building and realized we could simply remove the narthex and small balcony, level out the sloped floor, and turn the seating 90 degrees.... " David Keitel, AIA, Principal, domusstudio architecture, San Diego, CA
“We looked at the skeleton of the building and realized we could simply remove the narthex and small balcony, level out the sloped floor, and turn the seating 90 degrees in order to create a contemporary wrap-around seating community,” he says.
This plan, Keitel notes, was the most economical way to expand its seating and avoided any additional square footage.
Summit Point before--"“We had to lose the long center aisle and straight pews and bring the pastor closer to the congregation," says David Keitel, AIA, principal of San Diego-based domusstudio architecture.
“We had to lose the long center aisle and straight pews and bring the pastor closer to the congregation. This builds better relationships,” he says. “Also, by wrapping the seating around the thrust stage, congregational members can now see each other and interact, again leading towards better internal relationships.”
"... by wrapping the seating around the thrust stage, congregational members can now see each other and interact.... " David Keitel, AIA, Principal, domusstudio architecture, San Diego, CA
The new layout is much better for contemporary style worship. But that’s not all that was done. Pastor Rimestad was looking to create something more dynamic. To accomplish this, domusstudio architecture leveled out the floor (there was a sloped floor existing) and utilized chairs for seating, allowing the space to become multi-purpose use for dinners and different arrangements for worship.
The design team created a new contemporary cross with video monitors to serve as a focal point in the worship space.
“Additionally, a new contemporary cross with video monitors was created as a focal point, and sectional glass roll up doors were added opposite the stage in order to open up the side of the building and create a new social ministry space,” Keitel says. “The new back drop is an abstracted cross that spreads its welcoming arms and envelops the community gathered around it.”
"... sectional glass roll up doors were added opposite the stage in order to open up the side of the building and create a new social ministry space." David Keitel, AIA, Principal, domusstudio architecture, San Diego, CA
The biggest challenge was an unknown roof leak on a step tiled roof, and many subs would not touch it because of the slope and the tile, but it was easily fixed and everything was fine at the conclusion of the retrofit.
Updating the AV component
For Summit Point’s audio, video and lighting needs, Keitel teamed with Sound Image, an audio/video and acoustical company to analyze the space.
“Together we worked on adding acoustical absorption where required and they designed an audio/video and sound system which met the programming needs outlined by the church,” Keitel says. “In this design aesthetic, the equipment becomes part of the architectural texture and design aesthetic in the space. We still managed that equipment with colors and placement to assure we did not lose a focal point.”
Exterior matters
Over the last 32 years, domusstudio architecture has completed more than 250 church projects and understands that the space between the buildings is almost more important than the space itself when it comes to building relationships within the congregation and breaking down physical barriers for new visitors. That’s why, outside, Keitel created a new covered patio on the west side of the building to encourage social ministries and chance encounters, and utilized glass sectional roll up doors to separate the interior from the exterior, eliminating the direct exit to the parking lot.
“The social space has been a huge success in enriching the relationships of the congregation,” he says. “People gather before and after services. The old plan had doors that lead directly to the parking lot and people would get done with church, walk out the door and they would be gone. They now stay on campus much longer.”
In fact, the pastor has a hard time starting the service on time because people are gathered outside and conversing.
“The pastor and the congregation love the space. There were tears in the eyes of everyone at the dedication service,” Keitel says. “They all realized the lives that were going to be touched and changed by the design and how this new ministry tool would allow them to reach new members, and they already saw and understood how the space was going to enrich and strengthen the relationships of the current members--just by the small amount of time they were able to spend within the new design.”
“We’re trying to love everyone in our community and our new building reflects that." Elisha Rimestad, Pastor, Summit Point Church, San Diego, CA
The church was finished in March of 2018 and Pastor Rimestad celebrated with a grand opening that Easter Sunday. Over the past year, it has seen its congregation become more balanced, with more young families, multi-racial and multi-generational.
“We’re trying to love everyone in our community and our new building reflects that,” he says. “David [Keitel] and his team did a phenomenal job taking us into the 21st century. We wanted to broaden our influence and reach more people and we’re doing that now.”
[Editor's note: Originally published in spring 2019.]
