Steeple…What’s That?

At one point, churches turned away from decorating chapels with windows and embraced the dark box idea. As millennials continue to be the driving forces of the modern church, the dark box idea seems to be fading away.

  As you consider remodeling or constructing a church, there are a few elements that you may want to include to attract today’s generation. The first thing to consider is involving nature to the landscape. Right now, the trend of beautifying church grounds is moving from within the building to outdoors. Churches are now including more patios, fountains, jogging paths, and amphitheaters to their campuses. Another addition that’s becoming more popular is memorial gardens where ashes can be stored as well.

  Next, to beautifying the grounds with elegant patios, playgrounds are becoming essential for members too. The reason why playgrounds are huge is that it creates another reason for visitors to step on your church campus. The trend here is to maintain a social arena for the public. For so long, churchgoers have arrived at the church, attended service, then leave to complete their Sunday afternoon. That is not the case anymore. People are now congregating in church lobbies, which are becoming much more attractive with cafes, indoor swings, and gyms. Some churches have incorporated study rooms and work areas with access to free Wi-Fi. Not only is this attractive to members, but also to the general public who is looking for somewhere other than a coffee shop or library.

  Now, if you are wondering whether to go with a big auditorium or not, don’t bother. Large auditoriums are of the past and churches are becoming more successful by having multiple sites rather than one, big campus. Once the brand and culture are created, having multi sites is very achievable.

  However, although adding new features to your church can look aesthetically pleasing. It is crucial to ensure that the architecture you decide to add fits the brand and values of your church. For example, if children’s ministry is a big focus, then make sure that the church has features to attract children and their parents. 

  Architecture communicates to the public what type of ministry is inside. The infrastructure and grounds are the first things a person sees, and it is imperative that the architecture match the ministry and targeted atmosphere. 

  As an architect, it is my job to help design church buildings that fit a church’s profile and to maintain that perspective throughout the process. Since steeples and stained glass are becoming a distant memory, I am always mindful that creating a church is in ensuring that people have places to worship that fulfills their souls, even if traditional church designs, is not a given in the blueprint.