Churches are built by trained architects with the skills and expertise to create something that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing at the same time.
But church construction or remodeling jobs are not vanity projects—or at least they shouldn’t be. A church architect should conceive of themselves as the humble servant of a church’s leadership and congregation. It is their hopes and dream that must guide the architect’s hand, all throughout the design process.
Churches as Group Endeavors
Every church project is different. Various issues may emerge, involving budgets, land availability, zoning permits, worshipping area size requirements, the need for additional space for community activities, and so on.
But no single factor should play a bigger role in design choices than the preferences of a church’s congregation. Church leaders and the architects they hire should all know this. If anyone forgets for a single moment, they should be quickly reminded.
When a church architect is approached by a potential client, they should listen very carefully as church administrators explain their goals and ambitions. Once this initial meeting has finished, the architect’s next order of business should be to arrange a conference with church administrators and clergy, and with committees or individuals chosen to represent the interests of the broader congregation.
From the architect’s perspective, this conference should function as a comprehensive fact-finding mission. Everyone should be on the same page before the architect creates an actual project plan, which will emerge (in its initial stages) from the information gathered during this vitally important group consultation.
But this should only be the beginning. The collaborative process should continue, with opinions being actively sought from church representatives as the project unfolds. Suggestions and requests should be encouraged, with adjustments being made to the initial plan based on that feedback (whenever its practically possible).
This might all sound a bit cumbersome and inefficient. Wouldn’t it be better for churches to simply hire an architect they believe they can trust, and then give that professional the leeway they require to implement the church’s stated vision?
Such an approach might in fact be less time consuming. But it would also be riskier.
The ultimate responsibility of a church architect is to create a structural complex that fully meets the needs of the greater church community. This could involve a wide range of considerations, some of which the architect may not be able to anticipate.
For example, older congregations may want churches designed with as few steps as possible, or with shorter distances between parking lots and entranceways. Churches whose congregations have formed relationships with community organizations may want open, well-lit, airy meeting spaces or rooms appropriate for various community events. Some congregations may have a special interest in developing outdoor areas, where children will be free to play, or worshippers will have time for meditation and contemplation. The congregations at mega-churches may be concerned about a churchgoing experience that feels too impersonal, and they may want to make sure church leaders and architects are searching for ways to create a more intimate or personalized experience.
In some instances, church architects will be asked to design structures that can capture the imagination of new recruits. The congregation and church leadership might have a shared interest in expansion and be willing to choose designs that don’t cater to existing churchgoers exclusively. They may want to build a bold, innovative, or unique structure that will attract newcomers, yet preserve the solemnity and integrity of traditional worshipping experience.
There are a thousand such considerations that might come into play. A different subset will likely apply to each specific church project. A conscientious church architect will accept that they’re in the data collection business and seek as much input as they can get to ensure customer satisfaction.
How the Architect Can Lead
While the wishes of the congregation are paramount, the communication between church architects and church congregations should not be a one-way street. Congregations, administrators, and clergy may have general ideas about what they’re looking for, but they will require an architect’s expertise to translate their intentions into physical reality. The architect can answer questions, explain realistic options and possibilities, and show sketches and photos that will help their clients choose specific features for their new houses of worship.
In many instances, clients will be looking for new variations on familiar themes. Most congregations want to be creative, but don’t want to stray too far from time tested formulas or wander too far outside their comfort zones. When requests like this are made (“make it fresh and traditional at the same time, please!”), a church architect should be creative enough to lead brainstorming sessions that produce distinctive and exciting results.
The best church architects take steps to ensure they’re never speculating or guessing. Their job is to serve the interests of a church’s congregation to the maximum extent possible, and that can only happen through constructive dialogue and consistent engagement.