For the worship space specifically, unobstructed open space is needed, and in most commercial buildings, large space and structural columns are not independent variables.
A standout theme in Christendom is taking what's cast aside, empty and deemed useless, and filling it with purpose. Choosing adaptive reuse for ministry space approaches the idyllic in terms of stewardship and metaphor. However, as an architect, builder or engineer tasked with guiding a church to the best solutions for their ministry, many factors must be considered, all stemming from the church’s size, goals and worship style, and the character of the building being adapted. Designer asked Dave Benham, principal with the Greenville, S. C., office of LS3P Architects; Jim Couchenour, vice president of marketing for Cogun Inc., builders in North Lima, Ohio; and Ronald Geyer, founder of Good City Architects in Greenville, S.C., about the differences, challenges and benefits that come with applying adaptive reuse to ministry facilities.
Church vs. other adaptive reuse applications
Adaptive reuse has been around for some time—downtown loft apartments converted from law offices, old firehouses turned into trendy coffee shops and restaurants, a city jail turned advertising agency. Church adaptive reuse is beholden to most of the same principles of its commercial and residential counterparts, as well as a few more.
Space
“Church adaptive reuse is indeed a unique animal,” says Benham. “While repurposing a building for a new use has its challenges in all occupancies, the need for larger, open spaces is much more difficult in a church layout than in commercial or residential.” For the worship space specifically, unobstructed open space is needed, and in most commercial buildings, large space and structural columns are not independent variables. “Often, there is a need to remove columns to achieve the desired layout, but it’s still not optimal. The design of the space is influenced by existing column spacing, and typically, we simply attempt to conceal as many within the new walls as possible,” says Benham. This practice was applied at Christ Church of the Carolinas in Columbia, S.C., an LS3P project that adapted the church from an abandoned warehouse. On the other hand, Geyer notes that structural columns have long been a part of church architecture, even as decorative elements in traditional spaces. “Seating and aisles are flexible, and structure, thoughtfully incorporated, is [inexpensive] decoration,” he says.Outside of the auditorium, sheer square footage and layout must be considered for the sake of the ministry’s programs, especially children and students, as well as auxiliary gathering spaces, restrooms and kitchens.“Student and children’s spaces need be to relatively close to the main auditorium, but have enough separation for sound isolation,” says Couchenour.
One particular Cogun adaptive reuse project, Rock Bridge Community Church in Dalton, Ga., relocated several ministry functions to a vacant commercial building near the church’s downtown campus. It includes overflow worship, a café, volunteer headquarters and birth through 6th grade classrooms. “The key is to assemble the puzzle of spaces in a way that encourages good flow and attempts to eliminate the ‘lost’ factor, especially for first-time guests,” adds Benham.
Height
In addition to horizontal space, vertical height must be addressed—especially in the auditorium—for sightlines and seating, as well as acoustics. “Many repurposed buildings don’t have enough ceiling height for lighting and speakers or risers used in the rear of the worship center,” says Benham.Athens Church in Athens, Ga., another LS3P project, was formerly a Steve and Barry’s. The more than adequate ceiling height is well utilized with mixed-level seating and AVL applications. Geyer adds that depending on the size of the assembly, striking a balance for the sake of intimacy and basic comfort aspects is best. “Gaining enough height to ‘feel connected’ with others in the room or to achieve sight line angles necessary to see a presenter varies with the size of the assembly, but a space that is too low can feel like a basement,” adds Geyer.
Flexibility
Another difference is flexibility. A repurposed boutique or restaurant space, although adapted from another function, is going to maintain the same basic function. A healthy, growing church, on the other hand, is in a (welcome) state of constant flux. “The way [churches] do things changes at varying rates. Can the space under consideration handle the change anticipated or hoped for?” poses Geyer.Just as new construction’s spaces are programmed for flexibility, the character of a space selected for adaptation should allow that, as well. “Existing theaters can be terrific settings for worship, but are less flexible in both the short- and long-terms than flat floor spaces with loose seating,” says Geyer.In essence, the major difference between church and commercial adaptive reuse, regardless of the shape, size or style of the building in question, is that the end goal is to create a space that is functional, adaptable and comfortable for a large number of people to gather in for an extended period of time for the purpose of forming relationships with one another and with God.
Acoustics and the worship space challenge
The red thread of challenge in church adaptive reuse is definitely auditoria, considering space and seating alone, but add in AVL elements, and things get more interesting. The height and material make up of large commercial spaces inhibit acoustic quality on several fronts, sound isolation and acoustics among them. “Sound isolation is occasionally provided by the construction one finds in commercial buildings, but it’s unusual,” says Geyer. That shortcoming means the wail of a passing siren can impact the atmosphere inside. Additionally, the lightweight construction typical of commercial structures fails to reflect low frequency sound inside the building. “Therefore, the low notes that enrich instrumental and vocal music are lost,” adds Geyer.
“The height of existing structures is typically not ideal for acoustics, either,” says Benham. “On a new facility we like to have a higher building volume for better sound disbursement and coverage. The lower heights we inherit with existing facilities often require additional measures to provide quality sound for the entire room.” The good news is acoustic consultants can deliver those “additional measures.” “Acousticians can model existing buildings once they know the dimensions and material makeup. Then the acoustics can be dealt with by the sound system and the material applications throughout the interior space,” says Couchenour.
The seen and unseen benefits
Immersion in and relevance to community are top priorities of the modern church—and are natural byproducts of adaptive reuse. Rock Bridge is a prime example. “Dalton’s downtown is undergoing revitalization and Rock Bridge is participating in that in several ways by ‘adopting’ this building,” says Couchenour. Compounding that connection to community is the sustainability aspect of adaptive reuse. The benefits are numerous, some obvious, others less so; some benefitting the church directly, others the community and environment. Not least among the advantages to the church is an already developed site, which saves time and money. “The parking lot, site lighting, and other site work are usually in place, so site approvals and fees are minimal,” says Couchenour. There are also tax breaks to consider and the reality that renovation is, more often than not, less expensive that new construction. “It’s great stewardship of financial resources,” says Benham. “It’s efficient use of what God has blessed the church with.”For the community, the occupation of a building in the city center, instead of in a more suburban context, means an underserved population may have greater access to the church and its ministries. “It engages people where they are,” as Couchenour puts it. And there’s the un-ignorable fact that repurposing an existing building cancels out any added footprint, because after all: “The most sustainable material is the one you don’t use,” concludes Geyer.
