Environments for Ministry
A r c h i t e c t u r e
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E n g i n e e r i n g
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i n t e r i o r s
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P l a n n i n g
TODAY, church leaders
student spaces
are investing a large amount of time in discovering what makes their ministry unique. By defining the DNA of their church, they can use that knowledge to effectively articulate the philosophy of their church to be more effective in reaching out to the community. It is through this discovery that the designers at CDH Partners are not only collaborating with churches, but also with their communities in order to develop a more effective space for ministry.
gathering areas
Youth spaces are becoming more sophisticated as churches evolve, with spaces that serve multiple purposes and function as informal interaction space for junior high and high school age students. This technologically rich space may include wi-fi internet access, public computers, and surround sound for music. Engaging the youth of the community is frequently occurring outside of typical worship times. Some of the CDH clients are using their youth space as after school venues for teens. For this purpose, game rooms, basketball cages, rock climbing walls, gymnasiums, and cafes are included in the worship space.
prepared for growth
sophisticated
engaging
activities
relaxed The best way to grow your church effectively is to have an experienced planner on your side. Along with the community and leadership teams, a planner can help you to determine how your church is going to grow and how to prepare for it. This ends up being the most cost effective part of the development process, because it allows your church to not only plan and design for current needs, but for the needs that will come along in the future. For someone who has never planned a church campus before this task can be overwhelming, but a planner with experience can foresee the changes that can take place after your new facilities are designed.
TODAY, church leaders
student spaces
are investing a large amount of time in discovering what makes their ministry unique. By defining the DNA of their church, they can use that knowledge to effectively articulate the philosophy of their church to be more effective in reaching out to the community. It is through this discovery that the designers at CDH Partners are not only collaborating with churches, but also with their communities in order to develop a more effective space for ministry.
gathering areas
Youth spaces are becoming more sophisticated as churches evolve, with spaces that serve multiple purposes and function as informal interaction space for junior high and high school age students. This technologically rich space may include wi-fi internet access, public computers, and surround sound for music. Engaging the youth of the community is frequently occurring outside of typical worship times. Some of the CDH clients are using their youth space as after school venues for teens. For this purpose, game rooms, basketball cages, rock climbing walls, gymnasiums, and cafes are included in the worship space.
themed environments
Rethinking how children experience church has been the catalyst for some of the most creative spaces in today’s churches. Most children’s spaces today are themed according to the church’s mission statement, and create excitement among the kids. Playgrounds, murals, interactive elements, and fun theaters keep the children coming back and having fun while learning. This generally leads to them bringing friends, and ultimately those friends will bring their parents.
When churches work with planners, turning their dreams into a reality is quicker, easier, and less expensive. They can work together to build a facility that is best suited to improve their specific ministries and reach their goals. The latest trends in church design are geared specifically toward drawing in the unreached community. Incorporating casual areas like cafes and bookstores, installing state-ofthe-art technology for music and videos, and designing exciting kids and youth spaces are a few of the ways that churches today are making sure that they provide exactly what the community needs.
age appropriate
informal places
familiar spaces
community
child friendly high energy spaces
Since strengthening community outreach is one of the most important requests from churches today, the typical nomenclature for church planning now includes phrases such as “third places”, “venues”, “themed spaces”, and “black box theaters”. This comes from the belief that people are more likely to visit, and continue to do so, if there are familiar spaces for them to feel comfortable in while they orient themselves to the church and its congregation. Coffee bars and bookstores are quickly becoming common features in contemporary churches as informal atmospheres for people to meet and interact with each other outside of services.
multipurpose
technology integration
worship
The worship experience may vary from church to church, but now the audio, video and theatrical lighting technology of the space are consistently a major consideration for both the liturgical and the contemporary church. Whether the worship space is a multipurpose space or has fixed seating, careful planning of optimum sight lines for cameras and worshippers is a major consideration in the design process. Lately it has become even more important for church planners to become involved very early in the design process to ensure that worship centers are wired up and camera ready. Because technology improves so quickly, planners have learned to wait to make the final selection of equipment so that only the latest and greatest of technology is installed.
multipurpose
technology integration
worship
The worship experience may vary from church to church, but now the audio, video and theatrical lighting technology of the space are consistently a major consideration for both the liturgical and the contemporary church. Whether the worship space is a multipurpose space or has fixed seating, careful planning of optimum sight lines for cameras and worshippers is a major consideration in the design process. Lately it has become even more important for church planners to become involved very early in the design process to ensure that worship centers are wired up and camera ready. Because technology improves so quickly, planners have learned to wait to make the final selection of equipment so that only the latest and greatest of technology is installed.
themed environments
Rethinking how children experience church has been the catalyst for some of the most creative spaces in today’s churches. Most children’s spaces today are themed according to the church’s mission statement, and create excitement among the kids. Playgrounds, murals, interactive elements, and fun theaters keep the children coming back and having fun while learning. This generally leads to them bringing friends, and ultimately those friends will bring their parents.
When churches work with planners, turning their dreams into a reality is quicker, easier, and less expensive. They can work together to build a facility that is best suited to improve their specific ministries and reach their goals. The latest trends in church design are geared specifically toward drawing in the unreached community. Incorporating casual areas like cafes and bookstores, installing state-ofthe-art technology for music and videos, and designing exciting kids and youth spaces are a few of the ways that churches today are making sure that they provide exactly what the community needs.
age appropriate
informal places
prepared for growth
sophisticated
engaging
activities
relaxed The best way to grow your church effectively is to have an experienced planner on your side. Along with the community and leadership teams, a planner can help you to determine how your church is going to grow and how to prepare for it. This ends up being the most cost effective part of the development process, because it allows your church to not only plan and design for current needs, but for the needs that will come along in the future. For someone who has never planned a church campus before this task can be overwhelming, but a planner with experience can foresee the changes that can take place after your new facilities are designed.
familiar spaces
community
child friendly high energy spaces
Since strengthening community outreach is one of the most important requests from churches today, the typical nomenclature for church planning now includes phrases such as “third places”, “venues”, “themed spaces”, and “black box theaters”. This comes from the belief that people are more likely to visit, and continue to do so, if there are familiar spaces for them to feel comfortable in while they orient themselves to the church and its congregation. Coffee bars and bookstores are quickly becoming common features in contemporary churches as informal atmospheres for people to meet and interact with each other outside of services.
CDH Partners has been designing churches for more than thirty years and has assisted over 500 churches as they think through these and many other issues. We continue to assist churches that are adapting to the changing cultural landscape by offering insights and solutions for a more effective ministry. As churches seek new ways to be successful at positively impacting their community, spaces will surely change to the need and CDH Partners is committed to providing practical and effective solutions to accomplish that goal.
www.cdhpartners.com 770.423.0016 ARCHITECTURE | ENGINEERING | INTERIORS | PLANNING