good church design

Ixxi for church wall art

2012-01-27T17:26:00.001-06:00

The large spaces of church interiors can make wall decor a challenge; so often I see churches that have good intentions of warming up their interiors with wall art designed for the home, but because it isn't properly scaled for the wall sizes of a church building it just ends up looking odd. Large-scale works, though, are usually custom, and therefore expensive.

So I was excited to see (via design-milk) a modular hanging system that joins individually printed cards together to create large-scale wall art. It's a dutch system called ixxi, and you can use it to make a single image, a collage, or an abstract pixelated piece. Your design (or you can use their stock designs) is enlarged and divided onto printed cards 20 x 20 cm (close to 8 inches square), which are joined together with their system of with their 'x’s' and 'i’s' (thus the ixxi name!) to produce a wall piece or even a room divider. You could use an image that is meaningful to your church's vision and mission, a text, or even a logo. Think of it the impact in a lobby, or a children's or youth space.

And it's surprisingly low-cost! A 100 card system is about $200, including shipping from the Netherlands, which would make it reasonable to even change out the image over time or seasonally; ixxi also offers 'card only' pricing for those who already have their x's and i's.

Textile Inspiration

2011-11-16T13:49:00.001-06:00

Textile art in the church is often limited to needlepoint kneelers and homemade banners, but witness the ethereal splendor of Toshiko Horiuchi's handknit installations:

'Fibre Columns/Romanesque Church'
sprang, nylon rope - 15' x 90' x 12'


'Luminous Column', exhibited at 'Fabric in Space' Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.1987

'Atmosphere of the Floating Cube' - knitted gold & silver Mylar with linen. National Museum of Modern art, Kyoto.

An essential part of all of these installations is the lighting that brings them to life; in this case carefully placed floodlights. Churches installing any form of art should consider the lighting of the piece as integral to the art itself.

Even with the resurgence of the knitted arts and yarn bombings everywhere, I haven't seen any recent applications of knitted textiles to religious spaces. Horiuchi's work is from twenty years ago; here's hoping some modern textile artists will follow.

Better Children's Spaces

2011-05-16T16:09:00.001-05:00

One of the things we're spending alot of time on at the moment is the design of the children's house for our church. We know what we don't want: a series of walled off classrooms along a hallway where children are strictly divided by age level. Right now, I'm really inspired by the quiet design of The Children's School, a Montessori school in Stamford Connecticut, who requested a one-room schoolhouse for sixty from architect MaryAnn Thompson.

Choosing a Church Architect, Part II

2011-05-10T18:40:00.000-05:00

I was reminded, when our architects visited again for Easter, of how unconventional our 'selection process' was. That's their further development of the site plan, including a memorial pavilion to the two young soldiers lost from our congregation, above.

The pavilion is where it all started; when we didn't have the money to build on our 100 acres, the congregation decided to focus on developing the front twenty-five or so intended to be open to the public in a park-like setting, which would include a memorial pavilion to the (then one) young man who had been killed in Iraq, and a lake, and walking trails. I felt near panic at the possibility of a decision to erect a faux-Victorian gazebo from the building store down the street.

Somewhere around page 50 of a desperate google search for 'pavilion' I turned up this:

Never mind that it had been in the courtyard of the British Library, which is one of my favorite places in the great wide world; it had a single post (an idea that had been in my mind as a symbolic sentinel) with support beams which my church-design mind read as a cross, it had been constructed to interact with the sunlight timed to a poetry reading (light is a guiding concept for our church), and it had been constructed by students from stock lumber (woohoo! we could build it ourselves!), so I sent off an email inquiry in hopes that we could just buy the design for some reasonable sum and duplicate it on the lone prairee.

But that is not how proper architects work, and the d's of drdh would no more sell me a pavilion design that was made for another place than they would have sold me a stock church plan made for another church...not out of preciousness but because they knew, as I didn't completely understand at the time, that only a design made for us would really work for us. And when we sat down and had a long talk about the church, and the land, and the light, and Aldo van Eyck, they said they would be happy to make us a pavilion but they really wanted to help us build our building.

If you search out conventional wisdom about how to hire a church architect, one of the most common is 'only use a church specialist, only use a firm that has designed many churches'. This is usually put forward by firms who, guess what, specialize in churches. Whether you choose to go with a 'specialist' or not (and we didn't) doesn't really matter though, if you just remember that in seeking out an architect you're looking for two things, and wherever you find them that will be a good place:

Skill, and Sympathy.

Skill - The firm's work (and yes, you should meet the principals, not some sales department; if you're given any sort of a marketing pitch cross them off your list immediately) should impress you. It doesn't really matter if they're churches or not. For 'skill' do not read 'wow-factor', as in bright colors and swoopy exteriors, and remember that gigantic media screens are not equivalent to good design. Does their portfolio show that they think deeply about what buildings mean to people? About how space works, and how people work within it? About finished details? Have they made spaces that look to you like they would feel good to be in?

Sympathy - Are the principals in sympathy with your goals and desires for the building? If so, they will also be in sympathy with your budget, and respectful of it. Do you feel comfortable with them as people, with how they listen and respond to you? Do they WANT to build your church? Never work with someone that you have to drag into the job.

After a few more visits and talks it was clear that our architects wanted to build our church, and we wanted them to build it. That arrangement, not just of mutual benefit but of mutual desire to accomplish, lends mutual trust. And knowing them to be 'men of skill', as it were (see Exodus 31:2-5) freed us from the compulsion to prescribe their work, or to submit every detail to a committee review--one of the perennial complaints about the building process within churches. We knew that they could come up with better answers on our behalf than we could on our own. And they have.

Colin McCahon, Elias triptych, 1959

2011-04-18T03:45:00.002-05:00

Colin McCahon (1919 - 1987), New Zealand's most significant artist, began painting in religious themes in the late 1940s. Through the 1950s, he increasingly utilized text, including this stunning triptych as part of his Elias series, painted in 1959. His entire catalogue is online here.

This is a special week for our little church, as our architects are visiting again from London with the next iteration of design plans for the new building. So no posting for about a week...have a blessed Easter season.

Initiatives in Theology and the Arts

2011-04-13T20:21:00.001-05:00

And if you like 'Veil', you'll probably like the idea of Duke University's Initiatives in Theology and the Arts. Now, I live in academia, so I know how out of touch it can be, how prone to using the word cognate far too often. (and mercy-sakes-mabel Duke, if you're going to have an art exhibit, put images online already!) Nevertheless, it is one of the few places that accommodates the kind of prolonged, thoughtful discussions that these subjects deserve.

Since my own interest is in the way that design of space can facilitate the church, I'll be following their research into Theology and the Spatial Arts, and I wish I had time to read everything on the very comprehensive arts-in-theology and theology-in-arts reading list!

See also related programs at the University of Otago in New Zealand and St. Andrews in Scotland .

Thanks to reader Joelle for the tip!

[the above image of the 'joyful angel' is one of a set of windows by Charles Cordel at the Church of the Three Kings in Frankfurt, Germany (installed 1956) has stayed with me for some time...I love his splashes of bright color in a muted, paned matrix.]

Veil

2011-04-10T00:37:00.000-05:00

Our new church design has a sanctuary that is a space within a space, and the inner structure provides the possibility of veiling some or all of the interior. So I was very interested to see 'Salutation', an art installation by Wallspace for Christmas 2009. "An exploration of the theme of the annunciation, when traditionally the angel appeared to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus, Salutation filled the church with huge muslin veils with the appliquéd gold text 'what manner of salutation this might be'."

Cross Tower, Kensuke Watanabe Architecture Studio, Tokorozawa Japan, 2009

2011-04-07T14:35:00.000-05:00

"The existing church complex had difficulty being recognized as a catholic church because of its gymnasium-like appearance with no significant symbol. With the addition of this Cross Tower, the existing complex will easily be acknowledged as a church, showing its religious faith and Christian activities."

Designed by Japanese architects Kensuke Watanabe Architecture Studio for a church in Tokorozawa, Japan. Obviously reminiscent of the Saarinen arch in Saint Louis, this tower nevertheless speaks to local traditions, using ship building techniques to gradually twist the arch so that it faces outward at its bottom ground, adding structural stability and "also creating a welcoming gesture which enables the tower to serve as a gate for people to walk through daily or in ceremonial occasions"

As I've said before, given a banal building, put your money into a single distinctive focal point...hiring a skilled architect to make an innovative steeple gave this church an immediate new visual identity. [via dezeen]

Selecting a Church Architect, Part I

2011-04-05T09:07:00.000-05:00

Building a church requires careful attention to visual details. If your architect isn't sensitive to the visual character of their own website, why would they be more attentive to your church? Churches also increasingly require the incorporation of technology...if your architect can't even stay current with the design of their website is she likely to be on top of technology trends? The worst websites are often from 'design-build' organizations, which says something, I think. The website of a thoughtful architecture firm will also convey something of their design sensibility--traditional, modern, avant-garde. Your first clue to a firm's character, and whether or not they will be in sympathy with your project, is its website. Take it seriously.

Curtain Dividers for small groups

2011-04-02T17:25:00.000-05:00

Another interesting option for flexible classroom groupings within larger spaces like those in commercial settings...from my files; I've long lost the reference. Let me know if you have it.

Futuna Chapel, John Scott, 1961 Wellington, New Zealand - at two scales

2011-03-31T17:07:00.001-05:00

Futuna Chapel by John Scott is considered one of the most significant twentieth century buildings in New Zealand and incorporates ideas from the wharenui (below, the traditional communal house of the Maori)--including a prominent load-bearing pole, visible rafters, eaves that slope sharply and end low to the ground, and a modest entrance--combining these features with Scott's characteristic strong geometries within a modernist idiom The chapel was self-built by the Brothers of the Society of Mary, for whom it was designed as a spiritual retreat.

Sold to developers in 2000 and allowed to fall into disrepair, the building is now owned by the Friends of Futuna Charitable Trust, whose website has frustratingly small photos showing the sketches, models, and interior of the church. But who, for the chapel's 50th anniversary just a couple of weeks ago, created commemorative scale models in conjunction with the amazing 'personal factory' firm Ponoko.

What a special project for any church with distinctive architecture! Note that scale models of 'whale' churches are unlikely to be any more interesting than the real thing.

Read more about John Scott's work, including his churches, at a very nice blog of his work: scott-architecture.blogspot.com/, and some more images of the futuna chapel at this flickr stream.

Rainbow Church, Tokujin Yoshioka, 2010

2011-03-07T12:09:00.000-06:00

More than stained glass, I'd like to have Tokujin Yosihioka's column of prisms casting natural rainbows in my church.

MIT Kresge Chapel, Eero Saarinen, 1955

2011-03-03T17:06:00.004-06:00

Eero Saarinen's design for the altar space of the Kresge Chapel at MIT is one of the most sublime pieces of church architecture anywhere, I think, and goes to show that even if you don't like the entire building (I've never liked the chapel's exterior, though it is very much of its time) there is still much that can be learned.

The basic ingredients are an oculus (even if you don't have a sky light you can use a appropriate light fixture) artwork that appears suspended in space (the full length metal structure is by Henry Bertoia), and an altar, elevated so that is appears almost to be lifting off the floor, which is why people often compare this assembly to Star Trek. But I think it's beautiful, and an accessible design for any church to learn from.

Roofed in Red

2011-01-24T03:16:00.001-06:00

photo by Bob Travis: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobtravis/570416706/

Red shingles are still readily available from the big-box home stores...if you're a little white church, consider re-roofing in red next time around. You'll be in good company with the above historic churches, and it's a good identifier. "We're the one with the red roof". Especially nice if you have verdigris copper accents, as in the first photo.

Good Church Design in Ethiopia

2011-01-21T06:32:00.000-06:00

This church building in Ethiopia, in a refugee camp no less, ranks right up there with my favorites: made with authenticity and care from the best that is available to its community. Its theology is expressed on its facade for all to see, using the local sand-art vernacular. The thoughtfulness of its execution puts many American churches to shame.

Church Pew/Shelter Bed

2011-01-13T09:16:00.004-06:00

Churches are traditionally a refuge in time of crisis...this pew by Curro Claret studio transforms into a flat surface suitable for sleeping. I think this is a prototype at present; I can't find any information on its market availability.

[via abitare...see also the previously blogged Nappack]

Rain Lights from Within 4 Walls

2011-01-10T08:11:00.002-06:00

Within 4 Walls, based in the UK, has an unusually creative array of light fixtures but I'm particularly intrigued by their new 'rain' series, "designed to capture the shimmering sparkle of raindrops frozen in descent". Beautiful for church.

Unless you have a historic space with historic fixtures, consider putting some money into upgrading your lights. It's one of the simplest ways to modernize the visual character of the space, and having actual fixtures instead of cheap fluorescent panels quickly signals 'this is a special place'.

[via materialicious]

Church Size Statistics...Small Churches Rule!

2011-01-05T13:00:00.002-06:00

Approximate Distribution of U.S. Protestant and Other Christian Churches by size
(excluding Catholic/Orthodox)

ATTENDANCE	# OF CHURCHES	WEEKLY WORSHIPERS	PERCENT
7-99	177,000	9 million	59%
100-499	105,000	25 million	35%
500-999	12,000	9 million	4%
1,000-1,999	6,000	8 million	2%
2,000-9,999	1,170	4 million	.4%
10,000-plus	40	.7 million	.01%
TOTALS	approx. 300,000	approx. 56 million	100%

In spite of the fact that the megachurches get all of the attention, this chart from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research shows that in fact most people attend much smaller churches; the median church congregation size being just 75 people.

So why is there so little good design for them?

Light-Reflecting Steeple

2011-01-01T22:59:00.001-06:00

The new worship and community center for the Salvation Army in Chelmsford, UK features a flat-panel steeple clad with prismatic glass, which changes according to the natural light; a dramatic effect against the zinc-clad exterior. By Hudson Architects.

The best choice for a small church, or those repurposing a shopping or office space, is often to put your money in a focal point while keeping a plain facade; the extra expense of prismatic glass here is well worth it.

Cross-gate, Ivo Pavlik, Dukovany, Czech Republic, 2010

2010-12-30T05:10:00.002-06:00

I'm always interested in landscape interventions, an aspect of site planning that most churches ignore, and I'm utterly fascinated by this cross-gate by Czech architect Ivo Pavlik. The installation returns a cross to a landscape from which it had been absent, at the end of a path which leads from a cemetery to a lone mature tree in a landscape neighbored by a power installation.

The structure was created by casting the concrete walls between bales of hay, then burning the hay away (ala Zumthor), leaving behind a rough compelling texture. The cross-shape was gilded to give it more prominence.

Is it a gate, a threshold, a portal, a pavilion? Do we pass through it, or shelter under it? The ambiguity of the space (and that hovering, cantilevered back wall) demands our attention.

via dezeen...I can't find any website for Ivo. If you have information, let me know.

New Legs for Old Pews

2010-12-20T17:15:00.001-06:00

And this is actually from the Culinary Art School in Tijuana California, not a church, though strangely church like, which says something, I think.

But do you see how what is essentially a church pew form is made completely different by the addition of the wire legs? Nice. I wonder how hard it would be to do this with real church pews. Think of a piece of angled stainless steel holding them up instead of just more wood.

A simple pulpit

2010-12-20T08:13:00.000-06:00

I really love this simple pulpit by John Doe (really Grégory Lacoua and Sébastien Lagrange) for the recent renovation of the Chapel of the Assumption in Paris (via Dezeen).

St. Ann's Church Renovation, William Rawn and Associates

2010-12-17T07:33:00.003-06:00

Also inspirational is Rawn's renovation of St. Ann's church at Northeastern University in Chicago:

"...transformation of an existing church into a multi-use performance venue (330 seats), with the capability of adjusting for various events, including choral and orchestra recitals, banquets, lectures, small-cast theater events, and church services. The project sought to maintain St. Ann’s strong architectural character and to facilitate quick change-overs between use by minimizing the time and labor to adapt the space to different uses while reflecting the need to revert the space back to church every Sunday. Four key components to the renovation to accommodating multi-use performances are a new stage platform, a new lighting grid, new adjustable acoustics, and new furniture (loose chairs and tables)"

This provides an excellent model for equipping older churches for more modern use patterns, including updating their visual character:
1. light, UNIFORM side walls (don't clutter them up!)
2. pale glossy floors contrasting with a dark ceiling (a neat resolution of past and present)
3. comfortable seating in a bright modern color.

William Rawl Associates, Glavin Family Chapel, Wellesley MA, 2000

2010-12-13T06:07:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite living American architects is Bill Rawn. His Glavin Family Chapel at Bobson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts uses a simple square, bisected on the diagonal so that it can be arranged for two very different feelings: one characterized by solidity and enclosure (facing the solid walls that hide the busy campus center), and one by transparence and openness (facing the two sides that open into a forest landscape).

The stained glass is subtle and swirling, and only on the top portion of the glazing so as not to interfere with the close connection to the landscape provided by the ground-level windows, whose strongest feature is the delicacy added by a careful arrangements of the mullions.

While this is an elegant space utilizing expensive materials its ideas (triangular seat arrangement looking into a focal corner, transom-level stained glass, interesting mullion arrangements on plain windows) are very accessible.

99.9

2010-12-10T18:50:00.005-06:00

Devan Sudjic,then architectural critic for the London Observer wrote a book several years ago about the "world's most notable architectural triumphs and the masters who commissioned them". It's subtitled "how the rich and powerful shape the world".

I suppose it depends what you mean by 'world'...the sum total footprint of all the great buildings Sudjic talks about is less than two square miles. All that effort, all that ego, for a raggedy poor two blocks.

But in fact most of the inhabited world is just average people dwelling in huts and houses, on boats and in bungalows, in a self-built shanty or a McMansion. Their choices shape 99.9% of the built environment, and they don't know from Libeskind.

Similarly, much of what is written about church architecture is targeted at 0.1% of congregations--those with a large membership or a lot of money. The rich and the powerful. The other 99.9% think architecture and design isn't for them, and it shows in their timid choices, in tiny steeples perched on low roofs, in unimaginative interiors, in ill-fitting facades that look ashamed to be the house of God. The house of God! That's something any building would aspire to.

But for all the 0.1s splashing out in the pages of magazines and the occasional coffee-table book on religious architecture (and if you have 10mill or so of the Lord's money and you DON'T get an awesome building you're just negligent), it's the 99.9ers that are really shaping the built environment of the sacred.

The thoughtfulness of your choices matters, matters to people who may never see the buildings of the rich and powerful but will touch the door handles, traverse the aisles, gaze at the baptistery or out the window, repeatedly in your own church. And those things should say to them that this is the house of God, made and kept with love and care and deliberate, thoughtful choices that are the absolute best we as a congregation can do for this special place.

I hope that most of you that read this blog are in a church that--like mine--falls in the 99.9. Many of the examples I show are from the 0.1 (for inspiration), but I'm hoping we can change that.

[Image of Little Cataloochee Baptist Church, c 1889, North Carolina, by Ariel Bravy. In a small space, you can't go wrong with glossy white paint and the contrast of dark wood against it...in a way this is a reversal of the feeling in Tadao Ando's Church of the Light, and every bit as effective. And it was an artistic soul that chose the ochre for the benches.]

On Moving from Ideas to Reality. On Having Faith.

2010-11-17T22:30:00.008-06:00

It has been awhile since I've posted regularly on this blog, and then when I came back to it I found it had acquired some Chinese spam in my absence, and so I took it down temporarily and then I wasn't sure if it mattered anyway....so thanks to those of you who got in touch telling me that in fact, it did.

I started the blog to relieve the crowding in the files of ideas I'd kept for our church in the now-ten years since we purchased, by faith, a full 100 acres of Oklahoma prairie land. It was my pastor father's idea, his vision, and though the church was willing I know there were those who thought buying a hundred acres was mad, the impractical attachment of a plains farmboy-turned preacher to wide open spaces and grand ideas, an overreach that would keep us from ever actually being able to build there.

When we didn't, there was some grumbling. There were those who thought we should sell. At least two well-meant but ultimately ineffective attempts to 'make something happen' with meetings and committees. A consultation with local architects that stalled out. And some left, believing that it would never happen, that we'd never get to worship on the site that everyone now referred to with capitals: The Land. Our land. God's land.

Sometimes, I thought so too. Or at least, that it would be so long my dad wouldn't see it, and maybe I would have moved on by then, myself. Maybe it was for others past us, and that was okay. But the flickering doubt and the why not, why not yet became a sort of grief within the congregation, as the corporate faith we'd held for our promised home retreated. Still fast in individual hearts, mind you, but we didn't speak of it so much now, except in prayer.

That was the winter. And in April, just after Easter, I sat in a London restaurant with the principals of drdh architects and talked to them about the project for the second time, actually, because we'd met once before but it was still winter, and they sketched on the paper tablecloth and knew what to do. I think I cried afterwards, like I had the first meeting, because someone finally understood.

A Home for Worship. A House of God. Not a megachurch or a metal warehouse or a theatrum electronicum. A beautiful, simple keeping place for a small congregation that had turned that silly 80/20 rule--that in most congregations only 20% of those gathered are committed, serving, followers of Christ--on its head.

And just a couple of weekends ago, Daniel and David brought us models and drawings of the very place, a place that now seems to me as if it was already formed of the shadows on the prairie and was just waiting for us to wade through the tallgrass to find it. We met, we the body, on The Land that we love, and the models arrived after the singing had started so that the building blocks were being set out in their careful places as familiar, beloved voices rose around me in ancient hymn of thanksgiving: "Praise God from whom all blessings flow...praise him all creatures here below..praise him above ye heavenly host...praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost". The church was built for me then. Amen.

How to make a Green (literally) Church

2010-05-07T17:30:00.001-05:00

Faced with unattractive architecture (aren't we all), cover your church in greenery! This is Parroquia del Huerto de los Olivos in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Their architecture doesn't look too bad, but nevertheless....choose an evergreen so it doesn't look like a bird's nest in winter, and to avoid damage to the building, grow the vines either on trellising or wires running through eye hooks screwed into the facade.

Shipping Container Youth Room

2010-05-03T17:22:00.003-05:00

But my dream youth space would be like this shipping-container construction by architect Adam Kalkin...everytime I think about youth spaces I return to this. Vibrant color, central gathering space, function rooms, lots of light, stairs (youth love stairs!). More here.

More DIY ideas for the Youth Room

2010-05-01T17:17:00.006-05:00

Please no more of those over-literal themed youth rooms in the vein of surf shacks or western lodges...a few high-impact design additions are cheaper, last longer, and will serve as a background to the group's own decisions about the space.

Vintage automobile headlamps attached in series to conduit.

Foosball coat hangers--available from Loony Design, but DIY would be more fun...the foosball table was a center of my own youth room growing up.

The simple addition of painted black corner lines to solid features makes everything look like a cartoon! This is from the Luise Hotel in Berlin.

Make a stack of old school TVs and speakers, as here at the Facebook headquarters, at the entrance to your space.

Have a google for the designs of Odili Donald Odita, whose work fuses modernist and African influences, for color inspiration. Plan carefully, number, and tape the sections in advance for a massive paint-by-numbers day!

Definitely get the youth involved in these projects...they love group DIY.

Wooden Furniture from Brent Comber

2010-04-05T16:46:00.000-05:00

The twig pews reminded me of the work of Brent Comber in the Pacific Northwest...his 'Alder Cubes' reverse the orientation of the wood and look a bit more comfortable. His line also includes the order-from-chaos series 'Shattered', an inspirational concept, and 'Solids'.

Pews made of Twigs?

2010-04-03T16:00:00.000-05:00

Twig benches and cubes by London designers PINCH. These look a bit uncomfortable...perhaps some pew cushions for the top? But a striking idea, though at £1425 I'd recommend DIY. They used coppiced hazel for the construction; coppicing makes for very straight twigs.

Johnson Chapel at Trinity School, Manhattan, Butler Rogers Baskett Architects, 2009

2010-03-30T19:24:00.000-05:00

Inspirational control of light in this chapel found at archidose...

To prevent the intrusion of mechanical systems into the sleek minimalism of the chapel (no grills or vents are in evidence), the bed of rock in which the cross is placed covers the ventilation system where air is introduced into the room, and the lowered ceiling plane of the light well hides the returns as well as providing the beams that rake the light diagonally along the wall.

3-D Acoustic Wallpaper from Recycled Paper

2010-03-26T15:58:00.000-05:00

Mio also offers an affordable and stylist acoustical solution: a three-dimensional recycled paper wall-covering that can be installed temporarily simply with double-stick tape or permanently with wallpaper paste. Modularity allows for custom configurations: $34 per 13 inch by 12 inch panel.

Modular Cardboard Partitions

2010-03-24T15:26:00.001-05:00

As more churches meet in temporary locations, reconfigure spaces designed for other functions, or simply choose designs with maximum flexibility, next-generation products for partitioning spaces are required...forget the clunky folding walls lately seen in the fellowship hall.

"Made from recycled, double-wall cardboard, Nomad is a modular architectural system that can be assembled into free-standing, sculptural screens, temporary partitions, rooms or even displays without hardware, tools or damage to existing structures. Available in nine colors, Nomad can be arranged into open or closed configurations; creating private environments or light and airy dividers. The Nomad system can be configured to create entry-ways and corners, easily adjusting to any indoor space. "

Designed by Jaime Salm and Roger Allen and sold through Mio at $56 for one 24 module set, which creates a 4.5 ft x 4.5ft section with open configuration ir a 3 ft x 4.5 ft section with closed configuration.

Foldable Cardboard Furniture from Foldschool

2010-03-21T15:14:00.000-05:00

Foldschool "is a collection of free cardboard furniture for kids, handmade by you. The downloadable patterns can be printed out with any printer."

Follow the instructions (definitely try the sample first to learn the techniques); and the pieces are surprisingly stable and chic. May not last forever forever but if recycled cardboard (4 mm single layer) is used the price is definitely right. We've been renovating the nurseries at my own church and these are on my list for the next work day...

Sculptural Lighting by Josh Jakus

2010-03-07T16:09:00.000-06:00

Well-designed lighting can be incredibly expensive...designer Josh Jakus simply provides a curly recycled plastic housing for a standard compact fluourescent bulb for a sculptural accent fixture. Available for $35 (small) and $45 (large) at Fuz. Very nice for a lobby or gathering space.

Ukrainian Wooden Churches

2010-02-16T11:25:00.000-06:00

I love vernacular church buildings that speak the local language...here, two of the wooden churches of the Ukraine. What does it say about modern American church architecture that most buildings speak the language of the shopping mall?

"The wooden churches in the Carpathians have a building tradition which is over 1000 years old and which extends into our own time. On the territory of Ukraine alone there are over 1,800 properties which in their diversity and typology reflect the history of the different ethnic groups who live there. "
[source]

If you want to build your own, the book of Ukranian Wooden Churches is online complete with joinery diagrams.

Field Chapel, Boedigheim Germany, Students of the College of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology, 2009

2010-02-14T14:28:00.000-06:00

"In January of 2008, the Reverend Moser-Feesche contacted Ecker Architekten with the intent to build a chapel. He had no funding, held no property, and did not have the support of his con-gregation. He did however, have a specific idea about what this building should be and where it should be located."

"...when arriving at the site, a narrow footpath leads between an existing hedge and the blank tower facade to a small gravel forecourt, which is bounded on 2 sides with massive benches made of local limestone. This forecourt represents the secular realm. A brick platform rises from this forecourt, upon which visitors enter a closed patio and ultimately the sanctuary. This platform traverses the profane to the divine."

"Apart from the architectural filigree of the tower enclosure, the building appears traditional in its construction. It has a simple shape, and is formally related to both the Biblical Temple of Solomon and to vernacular tobacco-drying barns still found in the region.

The entire wooden construction rests on 8 steel moment-frame anchors, which are sized to expose a thin gap between the massive brick platform and the timber structure. This articulated joint makes the heavy building appear to hover weightlessly above the ground plane."

photos and text from archdaily.

Bornhouse Chapel, Venice Biennale, 2009

2009-06-09T16:26:00.009-05:00

Chapel within a church, constructed by Russian architectural consortium bornhouse in the San Stae church for the Venice Biennale. Luminous, simple design well-suited for a free standing structure as well. There is a video of the grid-based construction at the link.

I believe these are laser-cut wood panels...I'm interested in how this sort of delicate screening effect could be applied to the monolithic expanses of steel and glass seen so often in American church construction.

Chaplets

2009-02-04T11:21:00.005-06:00

The chaplets of Marjorie Schlossman are 'sacred spaces, open to the public, open to people of all religious and secular belief systems, free of charge, and full of art.'

In 2001, Marjorie purchased a mid-twentieth century buildingin downtown Fargo, North Dakota, and 'hired architect Bruce Hella to renovate it, instructing him to fill it with light from as many sources as possible. A plunging skylight on the roof, curved interior glass block walls and wide storefront windows bring light in from all four directions.

Three long walls of this “ecumenical meditation or art chapel” contain Marjorie’s vibrant canvases. The artist has compared the three walls to the movements of a symphony, thereby linking her three passions – art, music and architecture – through the creation of this beautiful space', which opened to the public in 2002 free of charge.

'The completion and success of the Roberts Street Chapel compelled Marjorie to create more structures with the same purpose.' In 2006 she enlisted six area architects to create inspiring, portable spaces for under $25,000, to which she added her art on walls, ceilings and floors.

The chaplet in the first two photos above, by Richard Moorhead and sons, used looping carbon-coated fiberglass rods that sway in the wind like prairie grasses to echo the shape of the Conestoga wagons that crossed the Great Plains.

'The Roberts Street Chaplet Project opened in July 2006 on the grounds of the North Dakota Museum of Art in Grand Forks, North Dakota. After a month’s stay there, it moved to an unusual site in Fargo – the parking lot between a Sears and Best Buy store outside West Acres Mall. '

Images and text from Marjorie's website; more info at Metropolismag

Inspired by the Apocalypse

2009-01-18T15:25:00.005-06:00

The magnesium and glass furniture for Saint Eucaire’s Church in Metz designed by Frank Stanimira Rafaschieri is startling in its gothic setting, much like the Panton chairs in St. Bartholomew. It takes as its equally startling inspiration the mysterious and troubling Apocalypse.

[text edited from an account at yatzer.com]

"For two thousand years, the Apocalypse has been a continuous source of inspiration. Many works of art represent the vision of the future World described in the New Testament. The Apocalypse ends with the vision of the heavenly Jerusalem, the story which began with the expulsion of man from Paradise Land finished with his ascension to a new heaven and a new earth." Those who ascend can quench their thirst at the river water of life and eat from the tree of life...living water flowing from magnificent fountains in the middle of a garden paradise. In the project design, we sought to represent water, and the source of life, raised several times in the texts.

The spirals in the work are its organizing motif; a dynamic form symbolizing life, the universe, the mystery of creation and the infinite. Their verticality alludes to ascension.

The elongated oval of the table represents Christ welcoming us with open arms. The posts reflect a fountain flowing water, and are twelve in number, sybolizing the foundations of the Holy City and the apostles of Jesus.

In the pulpit the spirals represent the vibrations of sound waves--the scope and depth of the voice of God--teaching the Faith. The twists also represent the Alpha and Omega, infinity. The seven posts refer to the seven seals of the Apocalypse, which only the Lamb may break, giving Christ a central role.

[photos via yanko design]

The View Beyond the Pulpit

2009-01-11T15:12:00.005-06:00

Behind the pulpit/stage/choir loft/baptistry (depending on your configuration) is at worst a blank wall, at best some stained glass. I like the approach of the Casa da Musica, Porto, Portugal, with a view to the wider world outside.

Great Design from Cheap Materials - 5

2009-01-10T10:19:00.003-06:00

Tree Table by Sebastián Errázuriz .

In most building projects there are at least a few uprooted trees; a stunning design for an altar (or any other) table.

Friday Feature Church: Shadyside Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh

2008-08-15T19:24:00.009-05:00

As modern churches wrestle with new worship styles and how they affect the physical structure of the church and its furnishings, it is always instructive to look back at the past for what we might learn.

Things are changing now, but they've changed before. And they will again.

Consider the Shadyside Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

(Shadyside, 1875)

"The sanctuary as built in 1890 was very much of its time. Before the mid-nineteenth century, the two predominant sanctuary arrangements were the nave-chancel and the meetinghouse. The former, an ancient arrangement, is well suited to worship that is liturgical, processional and centered on the eucharistic rite. Clergy perform the rite within the chancel and the congregation observes from a long, narrow nave. By comparison, the meetinghouse shape is adapted for preaching and hearing. The room is wide and the depth of the room short – to minimize the distance from pulpit to listener.

(Shadyside, 1890)

Two seemingly incompatible trends – revivalism and a liturgical movement – combined to create a worship space not terribly different than a theater. The Second Great Awakening in the early 1800s was driven by emotional preaching from a stage-like structure with the people arrayed around it. Conversion of lost souls predominated over participatory worship. Later in the century, some congregations came to consider this insufficiently sophisticated for their needs and status. Churches favored more structured worship orders with greater reliance on music and ritual, while still stressing preaching.

A theater arrangement resulted. A stage with a modest pulpit offered the preacher a prominent platform, with freedom of movement. A pipe organ and choir or quartet served as back-drop and satisfied the desire for more formal music. The seating was arrayed in a semi-circle in a proportion neither narrow as a nave nor broad as a meetinghouse. The auditorium floor was often sloped up from front-to-back to promote good visibility and hearing from each seat...This shape was touted in local newspaper accounts, which also noted that all seats faced the preaching position.

The prominent position of the choir and organist suited the growing mid-nineteenth century emphasis on music. Through much of the twentieth century, a skepticism about “performance” in worship moved choirs away from front and center. (In some quarters, this has reversed again, with praise bands playing and singing from stages in “contemporary” worship.) ....By the third and fourth decades of the twentieth century, ideas about worship space were changing in the United States . Many “mainline” churches responded to yet another liturgical impulse. A more archeological correct neo-Gothic movement in architecture prescribed a nave chancel-arrangement.

(Shadyside, post 1938)

Shadyside responded in 1937-38. That change placed a greater specific emphasis on worship in both Word and Sacrament. Four specific liturgical centers (pulpit, lectern, table and font) are in prominent view. It accords well with the present order of worship, increased frequency of communion and high standard of preaching. In fact, a case can be made that the architecture has influenced worship as well as responded to it. "

What 'innovations' that we are making now will be discarded? Which will be kept?

How do we make a building that will be flexible enough to remain in use (as has Shadyside) for over 100 years?

Having Church Outside--Community Church, Simi Valley, California

2008-08-13T16:51:00.006-05:00

The most innovative feature of Community Church's building plan for a 138 acre site is the decision to have church outdoors--in an outdoor sanctuary, and save the millions of dollars that would have been spent on the building for direct ministry use.

From their website:

"In developing our property we want to reflect the loving/giving nature of God. We want to build an outdoor amphitheatre rather than an auditorium so we can give more to the poor. We want to provide land to Children's Hunger Fund to support and serve children in need locally and internationally. We want to create a park-like atmosphere for our community to enjoy.

Cornerstone Community Church & Eternity Bible College Facilities
Outdoor Sanctuary – 3,000-person capacity
Gym/Multi-Purpose Building – 1,000-person capacity
Chapel/Multi-Purpose Building – 300-person capacity
Administration Building with Library
Classroom Buildings
Maintenance and Restroom Buildings
Children's Hunger Fund Facilities
Administration Building and Learning Center
Warehouse/Packing Buildings
Athletic Fields
3.8 acres of shared-use athletic fields (no night lighting)
Use by local community will be encouraged
Onsite Wastewater Treatment Facility
Creates tertiary-treated recycled water for irrigation
Comparable to other systems used in unincorporated County areas
Onsite Parking Facilities
2,000 parking spaces
Eco-friendly "grass-crete" pavement
Open Space
Approximately 58.8 acres of preserved open space
Only 3% of total site area developed

While year-round church outdoors is only a realistic option for friendly climates (Community Church is located in Simi Valley, California), it's high time for a rethink of vast, expensive spaces used once a week.

I admire Community Church's well-thought out expression of goals for the site, and the innovative solution they found to ensure that what they build is in keeping with what they value.

My church is also blessed with a large site--100 acres--and plans to develop part of it as community park space. We hope to include an outdoor amphitheatre, though our climate won't allow it to be in use year round.

Inspiring!

Cheap Fix - Linoleum remnant flooring

2008-06-05T07:28:00.000-05:00

Above, a lineoleum remnant floor as a study model, partially laid, and completed. Via materialicio.us , this lineoleum is a surprisingly stylish fix for the church kitchen, or for nursery or youth areas where a hard floor is required. As indicated, make a quick study model before laying the floor. And use the 'real' linoleum, whose color goes all the way through and is highly scratch resistant, rather than the cheap plastic flooring sometimes referred to as linoleum.

It appears that the red linoleum has been used on the countertops as well...another 'cheap fix' which can be finished off with either a wood or aluminum trim piece on the counter's face.

In my neck of the woods, lino remants can be found at salvage yards and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Youth space DIY Round-Up

2008-05-29T20:35:00.000-05:00

DIYable ideas for the youth room: (top to bottom) fluffy clouds made from coffee filters, tennis ball table (lots of hot glue needed), bicycle wheel table, and some funky lighting that looks to me like it is made of guttering that has holes drilled in and rope lights passed through.

'Nappak' for temporary shelter

2008-05-23T21:08:00.001-05:00

Churches have traditionally served as gathering places in times of disaster, and my church wants to intentionally plan for this eventuality in design of the new buildings.

Part of that involves being equipped to provide temporary sleeping arrangements....the traditional solution for this is your basic cot, but the 'Nappak' seems a much better answer, providing at least a modicum of privacy that might help victims feel a bit more comfortable in spite of disorienting circumstances. And packing small for storage.

It seems to only be available in Germany at the present time.

Inspired by School Architecture

2008-05-19T18:00:00.007-05:00

What does it mean to be making the 'place' of a church?

I've been learning from a document I ran across called "Enabling Place-Making: The Role of the School in Supporting the Community", by Prof. John Worthington, with its thoughts on what school architecture should mean and be.

One of the primary functions of the church is, of course, pedagogical, and so it is no great surprise that many of the principals translate well to thinking about the use and design of sacred architecture...replace 'school' with 'church' and you'll see what I mean.

"Buildings, well considered, can provide support to users by being:

efficient, by achieving more with less, reducing running costs and using space well;

effective, by improving staff and student satisfaction, adapting to new ways of teaching, attracting community commitment and improving learning outcomes;

expressive, of the values of the school and the community. The building, its fit-out and the way it is managed, can be used to transmit ideas and knowledge."

Many churches I've been in are poorly designed for all three. Modern churches, in particular, seem downright afraid of any expression of values, which is why they tend to be shopping-mall bland.

The conclusion of the article has fascinating implications for churches as well:

"Traditional categories of space are becoming less meaningful as boundaries blur and space becomes less specialised. Educational space needs are designed primarily around patterns of human interaction rather than the needs of particular subjects or technologies. New space models are focused as much on enhancing the quality of life as on supporting the learning experience. Circulation becomes the focus for interaction and informal learning.

Space is planned to:

support mobility, with touch-down settings, an abundance of power outlets, and movable furniture, and a rich variety of settings;

enrich pathways, by designing for chance encounters, encouraging the creation of ad-hoc workplaces, and providing opportunities for creative interaction;

blend and blur activities, for working, talking, eating and relaxing, by overlapping information-based work with entertainment, food and leisure.

Success comes through engagement, continuous commitment and attention. Space can be more than an irritant left to others. Space can be the catalyst for achieving pedagogical goals and improving performance."

What does it mean to design a church around patterns of human interaction? As I think about my church's new building(s), my primary inspiration for educational space is not other churches, but innovative schools.

[above, the Shiroishi #2 Municipal Primary School, Tokyo, by Taro Ashihara]

Cheap Fix - Simple Wooden Trim

2008-05-14T15:14:00.002-05:00

California-based Mars Hill Studios seem to have developed something of a formula for warming up spaces with the application of simple wooden trim. Utilizing raw, unimproved lumber (looks to me like simple pine 2 bys and 1 bys, perhaps waxed for luster), and incorporating the bolts and braces as features of the designs, most of these ideas are within the reach of a lay carpenter, and are especially well-suited to remodels of austere office or shopping space.

(Nice color choice on that purple/green hallway, as well. But at my church I wouldn't be able to *tell* anyone I was painting it purple and green. I'd have to pretend I was painting it a nice, nondescript almond color. Then afterwards, they'd like it, but before....well, the deacons might have a stroke if I mentioned purple and green in the same sentence.)

Angling the Pews

2008-05-13T10:56:00.004-05:00

From the website of New Mexico based Mazria, Inc.

"The seating arrangement in the Sanctuary is oriented at a 45 degree angle to the Bima, which reinforces the feeling of community during services."

In a older, traditional sanctuary with existing pews, simply changing their angle can make the space seem more friendly, less formal.

At my own church, which has a mixture of pews and chairs, space didn't permit a full 45 degrees, but several years ago we made a simple shift of about 30 degrees, which made quite a difference and was favorably received by the congregation. It also has the effect of better focusing the sitelines onto the center of the stage or the pulpit.

Pocket Canons

2008-05-08T18:25:00.000-05:00

London based design group Pentagram's "radical repackaging of the Bible designed to reintroduce the texts to a contemporary audience."

KJV texts with introductions by famous (contemporary) authors, published by Canongate books in the UK. By 2006, the series been published in 12 languages and in 16 countries, selling well over a million copies.

Winner of a Publishers' Publicity Circle award in 1998 as well as multiple other design awards.

There's nothing inherently spiritual about black leather bindings and gold gothic letters...

[See also the previous post on Crush Co's 'Summer Bible'.]

Church of the Visitation, Texas, 1895

2008-05-08T18:23:00.006-05:00

Westphalia, Falls County, Texas. As beautifully photographed by Matthew Magruder for the Texas Church Project, documenting historic houses of worship.

Cross-bracing in the ceiling creates a simple, beautiful rhythm...long before E. Fay Jones used it to spectacular effect at his Thorncrown Chapel.

And what sensitive soul went to the trouble, in 1895, to lay the wood floor diagonally?

Study in Contrasts in Iceland

2008-05-03T14:32:00.008-05:00

The aesthetic strength of this church building comes from the contrast between the rough, rustic quality of the dark cladding and the refined elegance of the bright-white trim. This would be a striking choice of finish materials for a small church, without resorting to anything unusually expensive.

By Angela Drury, via materialicious.

But can I call it stained glass?

2008-05-02T10:41:00.006-05:00

The pendant light made from Campari soda bottles by Ingo Maurer. About $600 (for soda??) so make your own. Great for the youth room.

Chapel of St. Ignatius, Stephen Holl, 1997, Seattle, Washington

2008-04-17T12:51:00.011-05:00

So, the post I meant to publish last week--before the Crisis in the Lab and the Wedding of the Brother intervened-- was about St. Ignatius, another chapel whose design and symbology centers around light.

Steven Holl describes the chapel as a stone box containing seven 'bottles' of light. Skylights and colored glass are used to create seven different qualities of light, corresponding to elements of the (Roman Catholic) liturgical progression:

1. Procession – natural sunlight 2. Narthex – natural sunlight 3. Nave – yellow field with blue lens (east); blue field with yellow lens (west) 4. Blessed Sacrament – orange field with purple lens 5. Choir – green field with red lens 6. Reconcilation Chapel – purple field with orange lens 7. Bell Tower and pond – projecting reflecting night light

The interior of the chapel flutters with patches of colored light, as if inside a very slow-turning kaleidoscope. It is frankly brilliant.

I do find the exterior disappointing; the stone bottles rising from the box seem awkward and piecey, uncohesive. Nevertheless, this is a building I would travel to see.

And having something of a background in optics I love the front door, which has seven lenses (repeating the seven bottles theme) set in at different angles to rotate light into the interior at different times of the evening.

Whether this style of building would suit your church or not, let it inspire you to carefully consider the power of not just the presence of light, but its nature (color, intensity), its progression (time of day and season), and its absence (shadows) as well.

Complete tour available at the Seattle University site.

The best photos of the chapel are by Liao Yusheng at figure-ground.

P.S. I wish I knew what the finish on the (concrete?) interior is, creating the slightly 'blotchy' pattern. Any help?

Church of the Light, Tadao Ando, 1989

2008-04-17T12:22:00.013-05:00

Today, two churches that are uniquely centered around light...

The first is Tadao Ando's Church of the Light in Osaka Japan which is well-known in architectural circles but, paradoxically, not in church-y ones.

Though Ando certainly works in a minimalist fashion, the asceticism of this church was as much an issue of low budget as of aesthetics. The contractor donated the construction of the roof when funds ran out and the church pews and the floorboards are made of construction wood salvaged from concrete forms and scaffolding.

Ando is an architect by talent, not by training. He has no formal education in the field but nonetheless received architecture's highest award, the Pritzker Prize, in 1995.

Church of the Light is quite small, and its all-concrete construction has been described as claustrophobic by some. But it demonstrates well the power of light, the possibilities of negative space, and the wisdom of putting your money where it counts, in a strong, central focal point.

[Lovely images, above by Liao Yusheng. An excellent tour of the entire site, which gives some sense of the way the unique concrete forms of the church are experienced, is here. And of course, there is a Wiki on the Church of the Light.]

On Being Light, Having Light, Installing Light

2008-04-08T12:14:00.008-05:00

If I had a limited budget with which to improve a church property I would spend it on two things: paint and lighting.

Given the prominence of light symbology in the Christian tradition, I wish churches paid more attention to it. Technology has made its opportunities boundless, and cheaper than ever.

Take a browse through one of my favorites, Tillett lighting, and be inspired.

Hadid's Aqua table

2008-04-07T08:38:00.006-05:00

I'm not a fan of Zaha Hadid's work, but I do find her 'Aqua' table inspirational in thinking of unique forms for an altar or communion piece. The silicone top is translucent, so that the organic 'legs' beneath appear as deeper pools of color. [currently selling for $78,500...so use it as inspiration to make your own.]

The Great Church Pew Debate

2008-04-05T09:17:00.019-05:00

Next to music, it is perhaps the issue of the church pew that divides the traditionalists from the trendoids. I've seen debates over this simple, mundane piece of furniture lead to shouting matches and folks leaving the church. May I point out that, whatever your view on the pew, it's not worth that?

Pros:

1. Tradition - Some people have a visceral, positive reaction to a worship space containing pews, born most likely out of their prior religious experience. Pews, to them, look and feel like church.

But this applies to the 'unchurched' as well...as evidenced by the fact that many non-churchgoers want a church with pews for their wedding.

When pews have been in a church a long time, members may see them as imbued with the prayers and spiritual aspirations of congregants who have worshipped there before them.

If kneeling collectively is an important part of your church tradition, pews with kneelers are still the best way to accomplish it.

I think it's important to point out to Americans that in many European churches, the pews are part of the furnishings of a protected historic building and changing them is forbidden. This would apply to only a few congregations in the US.

2. Flexibility - This is the pew's greatest practical strength. While pews are inflexible within the FLOOR space (see below), the SEAT space of the pew itself is very flexible. Because there is no designated, 24 inch seating area, as with a chair, a larger person can take up more space, and a smaller person less. A pew can be 'packed' for special events, temporarily expanding the sanctuary' s seating capacity. Spacing is organically adjusted for relationships--families and couples can sit closer, or an appropriate personal space can be kept between strangers. Children can lie down on their parents laps. I've noticed tired children shifting around in chair seating, unable to rest their head comfortably.

3. Comfort - modern pews with padding are as comfortable as chairs. And do we really want to offer people the equivalent of a lazy-boy recliner, anyway?

4. Expense - Though expensive new, pews that are used are widely available, often for free or just for transport.

5. Underlying spatial philosophy - pews are 'shared', chairs are your 'own'.

Cons:

1. Tradition - Some people have a visceral, instinctive dislike of a worship space containing pews, again, likely due to past religous experience. It also seems, however, to be a reactionary position taken up by long-time churchgoers without particularly bitter memories in an effort to be somehow modern. Is it possible to be a 'modern' church using 'traditional' furniture?

2. Flexibility -This is the pew's greatest practical drawback. If you want to use the sanctuary space for more than one purpose, or use a lot of different worship space configurations, it's tough to move pews and nearly impossible to store them. Pews don't stack well.

3. Comfort - There is no doubt that vintage or antique pews were made for people of a smaller average size than those of today. And they'd never heard the word 'ergonomic'.

4. Expense - New pews are much more expensive than new chairs.

5. Underlying spatial philosophy - pews are 'shared', chairs are your 'own'

My take:

If your pews have a long historic tradition in your congregation, keep them and modernize in other ways. The costs of discarding your history are too high. Try to add padding and footrests for additional comfort if you can.

If you really need to completely reconfigure your sanctuary frequently (at least once a month), chairs are the only and obvious choice.

It's been my experience, however, that many churches think they'll do this and then never do, usually because moving alot of chairs is really hard work. (Believe me, I know. It is not uncommon for the pastor's family to pull janitor duty). If you are using chairs in fixed positions (which is like pews anyway), the clean, strong line of a pew is more aesthetically pleasing, and will allow the aforementioned flexibility within the seating space.

Personally, I wouldn't even consider fixed, theater style seating, which has the immovability of pews but none of their flexible-spacing advantages. It combines the worst of both options.

If you're buying, consider specifying shorter pew sections combined into longer lengths, as it is the long pews that are the most inflexible within the floor space. Consider areas (around the stage? near the back? a flexible central area?) where you might want to remove or change seating for special events and use chairs there. This can also be done in sanctuaries with existing pews, where replacing selected pews with chairs can increase the options for floor arrangments, allowing for instance, a circling of chairs around the stage for smaller gatherings.

And that brings me to my final thought, why is it pews OR chairs? A combination of the two would work well for many churches.

Pews/no-pews can't answer what it means for a church to be relevant in the modern era. It's not even the right question. What is at issue here is simply the practical consideration of what seating style is best for your church.

Pricier Wall Fix - the Wovin wall system

2008-04-05T07:27:00.009-05:00

Pricier, but with enough texture to make an impact in a larger space such as a sanctuary or gathering room, are these Wovin wall tiles. From Australia,but they ship world-wide.

From their site:

"The Wovin Wall System consists of a lightweight mounting grid which can be fixed to any wall or ceiling surface. The Wovin tiles are clipped into this grid in alternating directions to create the distinctive woven pattern...Walls do not require surface preparation prior to installation, as inconsistencies in finish or flatness are hidden by the tiles. Masonry and panel-lined walls can all accept the light-weight grid..."

I prefer the wood tiles, but they come in other finishes as well, including translucent models for back-lighting, metals, and custom printed options.

Cheap Wall Fix Round-Up

2008-04-04T22:29:00.008-05:00

A few inexpensive ideas I've kept track of for making a beautiful accent out of an existing wall or part of a wall, or covering up a case of the uglies (sigh, I have known many such church walls...and having a budget of maybe $50 to improve them).

Standing pebble tiles from naturalstoneoutlet.

Wood tiles (from my files, no source unfortunately, but a relatively straightforward DIY)

Raffia wall by designer Paolo Lenti but I've seen placemats that looks like this and in fact the new heavy, architectural placemats, often made from real wood, are great en masse on a wall.

Interlocking frames or a simple pattern of thin wood strips painted the same color as the wall are a great disguise...look to garden treillage for inspiration. But don't use that ugly pre-made stuff from the lumber yard.

Electronic Architecture: Immersive Worship Projections at Irving Bible Church

2008-03-31T17:11:00.018-05:00

I've never liked the after-thought, aren't-we-modern-now additions of gargantuan projection screens to sanctuaries.

Perhaps they're effective...perhaps.

That's more open to debate than churches are willing to admit.

But they're just plain ugly.

The two giant squares dominate all other features in the room.

And most of us get quite enough face-time with a flickering screen already, thank you.

So I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the approach of Irving Bible Church near Dallas, Texas, where the screens are merely a part of an 'immersive' electronic projection system that forms an aesthetically pleasing whole across the entire front of the sanctuary. Rather than 2-D boxes that flatten the space, the illusory architecture of the projections extends and enlarges it, drawing the eye into the center in classic perspectival tradition that hasn't changed since the Renaissance.

Interesting, then, that they have chosen very traditional architectural motifs for their projections. It's an inexpensive way to glimpse the grand, soaring effects of the great cathedrals, whose craftmanship is no longer accessible or economical for most congregations. And an expression of how much these ancient forms still resonate, how much they 'feel' like church.

For those of you blessed with Gothic or Gothick or Medieval or Victorian buildings already, imagine this sort of effect overlaying the existing architecture...wow.

Photos by Paul. Story at Religious Product News.

UPDATE: This is the work of Camron Ware, www.visualworshiper.com.

Chapel of Reconciliation, Berlin, 2000

2008-03-31T13:41:00.009-05:00

By Berlin architects Rudolf Reitermann and Peter Sassenroth, located in the former 'no-man's land' between East and West Germany.

Uniquely, it is a literal 'reconciliation', being constructed of load-bearing rammed earth walls (60 cm thick) which contains the remains of the previous church on the site, demolished by the East German goverment in 1985. Hard to be more 'genius-of-the-place' than that.

From a site on the history of the chapel:

"An open-work structure extends over the solid clay centre, surrounding it as a covered walk with a view to the environment. This space forms a transition and a threshold between the outside ambiance and the religious interior. The external framework, including the roof, is constructed from wood - also a natural and ecological material. The wooden columns, staves and beams form a light translucent cover, contrasting to the massive clay walls of the interior. From the outside the chapel looks as if framed with fixed vertical blinds, that cast picturesque shadows in the intermediate space. "

Like Shigeru Ban's paper church, the Chapel of Reconciliation features an elliptical central gathering space encircled by a hallway for circulation, and uses repetitive columns to provide a feeling of rhythmic, infinite peace.

The repetition of form to create a restful feeling should be used more often in church design.

via Inhabitat

Great Design from Cheap Materials - 4

2008-03-30T18:53:00.004-05:00

Hackenbroich Architekten used 1280 suspended ribbons of various lengths to create an exhibition stand for a social networking site.

via dezeen.

An interesting way to re-shape an existing space, and a good way to hide an ugly ceiling...length of ribbons, height from the floor, color and material could all be varied.

Shigeru Ban's Paper Church

2008-03-25T20:12:00.005-05:00

Shigeru Ban's paper church.

"This community center was built by church volunteers whose house of worship was destroyed by the Kobe earthquake in 1995. Materials were donated by a number of companies, and construction was completed in only five weeks by the 160 volunteers. The plan(10 x 15m) is enclosed within a skin of corrugated, polycarbonate sheeting. Within this, 58 paper tubes (325mm in diameter, 14.8mm thick, and 5m high), were placed in an elliptical pattern. The eclipse is based on those in Bernini's church designs, and the space between the eclipse and the outer edge of rectangular-shaped site formed a corridor and provided lateral support. At the entrance to the eclipse, the spacing of the paper tubes was widened, and the facade fully glazed to form a continuous, unified space between the interior and exterior."

So beautiful I could cry, and out of paper. More innovation in those simple tubes than in all the churches below.

On Elder-Friendly Design

2008-03-25T19:25:00.006-05:00

I was talking with a friend this week, who had spent some time serving in an inner-city church. Once the largest, most vibrant church in the community, changing demographics had left them with a large property that a committed but increasingly smaller group of elder church members struggled to maintain. I knew it, I even knew some of them (my great-uncle was a long-time member) and sympathized. But I didn't really understand.

What I learned as he shared his experiences was how hurt these dear people felt at their near total marginalization by the modern (American) church. Their experience, their wisdom, wasn't wanted. Their preferences, for music or service style meant nothing. Everyone wanted the twenties and thirties. Noone wanted them. They had a siege mentality, huddling together against the forces of rejection in the place that, of all places, they should have been most welcome. All the happening churches in town would rather have a 25 year old with a guitar and a smile than someone that had served and loved and grown in grace for half a century.

I was always uncomfortable with the trendy, self-consciously hip approaches prevalent in 'emerging' churches. But now I'm just plain angry.

I checked the websites of the supposedly 'innovative' churches below. On only one could I find any reference to a ministry for older adults. Though their sites are heavy with pictures (some obviously stock photos of models, patently not real parishioners), few depicted anyone older than 50. When they did, it was often a minister. Funny that the ministers will soon be too old to attend their own church. I wonder where they'll go then? These churches made special spaces for kids, and youth, and young adults, and a coffeeshop so their fashionable attendees can get through a service without being deprived of their precious java. But no special place, no welcoming provision, for their seniors.

How do you welcome the elders to your church?

Disability requirements for new construction probably mean the basics for accessible loos and walkways are in place. But is the light in the auditorium kept too low for dim eyes to read the Scripture passage? (elders usually still bring their own Bibles. Old-fashioned, that) Are there ushers available to help a slow-moving elder through a sea of young people to the front door and then to their seat? Have you considered how daunting a long hallway, a vast vestibule, is to an elder? Is there hearing-impaired provision, even special seating for elders in the sanctuary? Do you pursue elders as members as much as you do young professionals? Do you seek to integrate your older adults into the life of the church, involve them with the children, honor them by valuing what they value?

What would a space to comfort and delight and minister to senior adults look like?

I don't have the answer. But I know that Jesus didn't have a target demographic, and "they don't like our music" is a total cop-out. Shame on you 'innovative' churches.

Inspiration from Shigeru Ban

2008-03-25T19:03:00.007-05:00

Barn-like, cathedral-like, full of light...scaleable to sanctuary size, and an innovative material formed from surplus self-adhesive label materials made of paper and plastic.

the Artek Pavilion by Shigeru Ban via Dezeen.

America's 7 Most Innovative Churches?

2008-03-18T18:50:00.010-05:00

Ministry Today has assembled a list of the seven most innovative church buildings in America, but paradoxically included no photos. Fortunately, Kent Shaffer at churchrelevance.com has kindly scoured the web for them, photos and captions below (one photo for each church, top to bottom) are via his site.

All of these buildings make me cringe.

Ministry Today acknowledges rather pointedly that quality of design was not the standard. And so perhaps there are other things to learn. But none of the 'innovations' these churches desired to incorporate were inherently at odds with design considerations. For all their supposed focus on things like 'accessibility', 'friendliness' and 'connection', the exteriors are monolithic and imposing, the interiors are cavernous and not human-scaled, the decorations are trite, and the materials and finishes (except for advanced electronics) un-innovative. And that auditorium style hasn't changed since 1973. Back in the 80s there was a song that asked 'Why does the devil have all the good music?". This list makes me ask "Why does the devil have all the good buildings?" Perhaps because the church has decided they don't matter.

Top: Northland A Church Distributed (Longwood, FL)Photo Credits: Mark Beeson, G Jackson Lights, and the church website was credited due to "the facility's remarkably advanced multimedia, which includes an extensive laptop-accessible lighting network and 436 dimmers in the sanctuary alone. Along with more than 20 audio zones to balance sound quality, state-of-the-art digital equipment allows virtually all of the church's 80-plus rooms to connect to A/V systems in multiple international locations. Northland hopes to soon fill the sanctuary walls with dozens of live video feeds from people across the globe joining in to worship. "

Living Water Community Church (Bolingbrook, IL)Photo Credit: Wildesign Group Architects via Flickr.Original photos taken by Aspen Group.
"...appears more like a community center than a traditional church. Because Living Water regularly opens its arms to host community events, its main building was designed with multi-functionality in mind. Flexible walls, stackable seating and finishes that allow for multiple ministries to occur within a single space are found throughout. Did we mention there's a two-story indoor play area and an auditorium specifically designed for kids? "

New Beginnings Christian Center (Portland, OR)Photo Credit: Building God’s Way.
"Located in a predominantly industrial neighborhood, the contemporary-looking church is already becoming the meetings grounds for such a juncture. Besides hosting Chamber of Commerce events and community conferences, New Beginnings also houses an independently operated preschool during the week and regularly leases its commercial kitchen to a catering company."

Victory Christian Center (Tulsa, OK)Photo Credits: Daniels and Daniels Construction and the church website. "...includes a mall-size carousel in the children's facility, a Borders-style bookstore—complete with a kids' zone and adjoining cafe—and an 18- by 60-foot screen behind the stage. The creativity behind Victory's expansion design is on display even in the campus' parking lots, which are connected to two giant bridges (one leading to a Wal-Mart) to assist with traffic flow."

Parkway Christian Church (Surprise, AZ)Photo Credit: CCBG Architects. This one I can bear, design-wise--I especially like the yellow color--except that I might mistake it for an auto-parts store since it appears to have no indications of its sacred purpose. "Designed to contrast with its desert surroundings, Parkway's main building uses dynamic colors, architectural compositions and a "fire, water and rock" theme to prompt discussion from first-time visitors and longtime members alike. The facility, which is the first of 15 separate worship structures planned, also includes symbolically exposed 2-by-4s to add to the incomplete feel"

The Vineyard Church (Urbana, IL)Photo Credit: Aspen Group. awarded because " a single building...continues the fellowship theme through a contemporary-style indoor/outdoor cafe (where a five-star chef prepares lunch daily) and into numerous "hang out" venues. In typical Vineyard style, the church also features high-tech A/V capabilities throughout, including a 32,000-watt sound system and tri-level catwalks. "

Cornerstone Christian Fellowship (Chandler, AZ)Photo Credit: Rowland Companies. "Cornerstone's leaders are upfront about reaching young families disgruntled with church, and their new building's design shows it. For the kids: 20-foot trees with mechanical monkeys, lifelike elephants and a play area resembling a Nickelodeon studio. For the adults, it's state-of-the-art tech toys that present the gospel via cutting-edge media. To fit the church's ongoing rapid growth, sanctuary seating can also expand to fit 2,200. "

Friday Feature Church - St. Henry's, Turku, Finland

2008-03-14T15:57:00.011-05:00

"Inaugurated in 2005, St. Henry’s Ecumenical Art Chapel in Turku is...a very simple building with a shape that reminds you of a fish or a boat. The roof, or actually all of the outside, is made out of copper. The inside of the chapel is made completely out of wood. This 12 meter (40 feet) high ceiling looks much higher than it really is. The natural light changes the balance of light and shadow constantly, thus the inside of the chapel never looks exactly the same."

Architects Matti Sanaksenaho, Pirjo Sanaksenaho and Enrico Garbin

via designfinland

Reverent, contemplative, innovative while still honoring an iconic local form and using locally resonant materials, full of light. Just beautiful.

It would rest my soul just to be in this place, whether a service was going on or not.

And if you doubt that design matters, "the Chapel is second in number of visitors to religious sites in Finland".

Natural light everywhere

2008-02-21T12:36:00.005-06:00

Instead of installing a solar cell to collect sunlight, convert it to electricity, and then light an interior lightbulb, why not just bring the sunlight in? The parans system uses a combination of optical collectors and cables to transmit natural light deep into building interiors. Great solution for updating, or preventing, gloomy rooms. Information and photos of installations on their website.

Rest and Respite

2008-02-10T19:30:00.001-06:00

I've continued to think about this post, from the blog architecture + morality:

"...it seems to me that churches can help people lead simpler, more focused and satisfying lives by demonstrating what this life looks like, especially on Sunday morning.

So instead of building a church around programs and activities, especially activities for families and children, I see the church as a respite amid restlessness, an oasis for lives already dealing with busyness. The chief role of the church in the suburbs should be one of prayer and worship, ignoring for the most part time constraints and similar pressures. As I look around, there are more than enough activities for families in children in most neighborhoods between school, athletics, theatre, etc. There is even a plethora of charities that do excellent work, often doubling up the churches efforts. It’s not to say the church should abandon all its programs or charity, but instead should focus less on frenetic activity, and more on teaching us that the frenzied lifestyle is a trap in and of itself."

How can the design of your church express rest and respite?

[The above image is of the Jubilee church in Rome by Richard Meier. More detail later, but for a thoughtful blog about the Jubilee church and its place in sacred architecture, see sisu.

Better Parking

2008-02-06T11:09:00.001-06:00

The necessity to accomodate a heavy car load one morning a week often leaves church buildings looking like they sit half-dissolved in a puddle of asphalt. Most of the week, the lots are bare, empty, unsightly, and unfriendly both to the environment and the onlooker.

If you're installing new parking facilities, consider making at least some of them out of permeable concrete pavers which allow grass to grow and water to drain, but are still stable enough for heavy Sunday loads. The rest of the week, it looks like lawn. Will require mowing of course, but IMHO that's preferable to the huge periodic costs of renovating asphalt or concrete lots.

The photos above are from grasscrete, which is in the UK.

Their distributor in the US is the Bomanite corporation.

As you'll note from the site, these are also useful for a lightly used access road, slope protection, and drainage channels.

Consider them anytime you're thinking of pouring asphalt or concrete.

Design Process - II

2008-01-28T11:29:00.001-06:00

Once you have your three concepts, how should those be expressed in the spaces and finishes of the church?

For inspiration, here are some of the unique expressions of Ordrup school:

"Children in the age of 6 and 12 have different needs. This is why Bosch & Fjord has designed specific initiatives for the various ages. In the younger classes importance is attached to peace and absorption in the upholstered reading tubes while movable pieces of carpet create temporary space for discussion and cooperation. In the middle classes you can work together in smaller forums in the sculptural Hot Pots or withdraw to read and work concentrated without being interrupted by the surroundings in the colourful concentration booths. In the oldest classes importance has been attached to the teenager's situation 'on the way out into the real world'. The bright red sofa islands on wheels are movable on the screamingly yellow floors and can be used for concentrated group work, loud discussions or movie showings. A long bright green table sprawls through one of the rooms and forms a dynamic frame for creative cooperation and flexible work situations. "

I think the combination of intimate and public, collaborative and individual spaces is inspirational for a church setting.

I also like this part of their process: "employees and students were given pads of yellow and pink post-it sticks to place on their favourite spots. This was supposed to show both parties an insight into each others different ways of thinking and considering rooms. The purpose of all assignments in the process was to challenge the traditional use of the rooms and create new ways of thinking rooms as active tools in the teachings. "

If you did this at your church, where would most of the sticky notes be?

Design Process - I

2008-01-28T11:24:00.001-06:00

I was interested to read about the design process for the Ordrup school (they of the circular dividers below). From the Bosch and Fjord website:

"The design is based in three concepts, 'peace & absorption', 'discussion & cooperation' and 'security & presence', that will separate the individual areas in distinct functions and create new rooms for learning."

If you had to come up with 'three concepts' for your church building, what would they be?

Circles for storage and space

2008-01-17T08:47:00.001-06:00

Re the previous post on divisions of space, I love these 'reading tubes' for dividing children's spaces (from ordrup school, denmark, by bosch and fjord). If built as free-standing units they could be moved within a large space as semi-permanent dividers. The circular theme could easily be repeated in storage devices like those shown above...the last one, (from godoylab via fabgreen), could be duplicated using metal paint cans available at big-box home improvement store.

Divisions of Space

2008-01-10T08:40:00.001-06:00

Church spaces have to be very flexible; not only in the short term (switching a room from a youth event to a church-wide dinner, for example) but in the long term---so that as the demographics of the church change its rooms can serve new functions.

Think beyond those ugly metal folding walls!

From top to bottom:

Link by PearsonLloyd is a modular system from which you can build flexible but still elegant spaces according to your needs. [via designspotter]

Instant Space moveable wall, housed in an aluminum column for easy handling, opaque and sound absorbent; the wall is even suitable for projection. Available from nienkamper. [via swissmiss]

Great Design from Cheap Materials - 3

2008-01-09T22:51:00.001-06:00

Though these light fixtures (fancy London restaurant) are by Tom Dixon (fancy London designer), I think they're really big stainless steel salad bowls. Perhaps Mr. Dixon has a sense of humor.

Available at a restaurant supply house near you. Or perhaps already in the church kitchen. Drill a hole, paint the inside gold (or not...I'm thinking not), add a single bulb socket fixture and you're away.

P.S. Note the impact that comes from a simple form when it is dramatically oversized and repeated. Just pointing it out in case you're not a designer sort of person.

Floorazzo - Terrazzo on the cheap

2008-01-09T22:28:00.000-06:00

Terrazzo is a traditional go-to choice for high-density traffic areas because of its durability and low-maintenance. It also looks great and is highly customizable. If you've been in an airport, you've stood on terrazzo, basically marble chips embedded in a binder that used to be cement but is now polymer resin. It's a great option for churches, but oh-so-expensive, mostly due to the specialized labor costs associated with pouring it in place.

Now, Floorazzo is offering terrazzo on the cheap; basically 24x24 format low-profile tiles that fit together with barely visible seams. Still customizable in both color and pattern but at a fraction of the cost of traditional terrazzo. Sample tiles available to 'commercial property owners', which should include churches.

Oh, and it can be put on walls as well. Bathroom maintenance...always a vexing church issue.

Check their website, which hopefully soon will have a better gallery of pictures.

[via materialicious]

The Summer Bible

2008-01-05T16:43:00.000-06:00

Not a building, but relevant to the design discussion....this is the new Bible cover designed by crush co in the UK. They call it the 'Summer Bible'...see the cover in detail in the 'publishing' section of their website. Pretty cool to redesign the best-selling book of all time. Most people seem to wish they could re-design the inside...we'll leave that alone. But if you re-designed the outside, what would it look like?

Pixellated Stained Glass

2008-01-05T16:41:00.001-06:00

By Gerhard Richter, 2006, for the Cologne Cathedral

Maya Lin's Langston Hughes Library

2008-01-04T13:54:00.000-06:00

Before we get too far away from the 'Dairy House' post I wanted to draw attention to a similar (and previous) design, that of Maya Lin's 1999 Langston Hughes library. A 100 year old barn was cantilevered off a structural base that is two corn cribs, whose lumber is interwoven with glass. The barn contains a single 1200 s.f. space that houses the library, wisely in an interior that is Shaker-simple but elegant rather than homespun. Again, an innovative use of traditional forms that express the genius of their place, inspiration for any setting. And a wonderful use of an old barn. My midwestern upbriging has given me a soft spot for old barns.

Cheap Fix - Acoustics

2007-12-26T17:42:00.000-06:00

This post is the first in what I hope will be a series of 'cheap fixes'...for those who have an existing, less-than-perfect building and limited funds with which to improve it. Which is most of us, isn't it?

I've recently become aware that the cardboard tubes used for concrete forms (and readily available at big box home improvement stores) are great for improving acoustics in a large, echoing room such as a sanctuary. That's them on the back wall of a worship space, above, from the website of edb sound acoustics. A quick google shows that this is apparently an accepted DIY procedure in sound rooms and the like.

The placement and size of the tubes changes the effect...they are cheap enough to experiment with for what best suits your sanctuary. Paintable to match the walls when you're done (as above), though the bright yellow label with block printing would be cool as-is in a youth space!

UPDATE: more details and photos of how this works can be found at All Church Sound

Dairy House by Charlotte Skeen Catling

2007-12-25T17:36:00.000-06:00

My home church's property was formerly farmland, including a dairy.

This design, another one of the Bombay Sapphire prize winners, makes me think of the genius of that place...it is an extension onto a stone dairy converted into a house. Located in Somerset England, but its alternation of glass and rough oak seems to belong even more to the log cabins of the American frontier.

Here is a design that combines modern materials and an innovative approach with historical forms appropriate to the site. Ahhhh.

How is this inspirational for a church design? If it fits the genius of your place, as an entry, small adjunct building (office, chapel) or connecting device between buildings.

Lots more pictures, and construction information, are available at dezeen.

Church Furnishings for Cheap (or free!)

2007-12-25T17:16:00.000-06:00

www.usedpews.org is a clearing house for more than just pews....all sorts of used church furnishings are on offer, including baptisteries, light fixtures, stained glass, and theatre-style seating, at prices greatly reduced from new. There are even free items! It is searchable by region as most items must be picked up. Return the favor...if your church is getting rid of furnishings be sure to offer them to another congregation. Some of the items currently on offer are above.

Stacking chairs

2007-12-25T16:30:00.000-06:00

Church spaces have to be flexible, and this involves the constant moving of chairs. When they are removed, there is the problem of storage. My own church, for instance, doesn't have any storage closets large enough for furniture, and we end up with those ugly 'chair trees' out in the open.

So I was really inspired by this chair from new designer Jennifer Chan....each chair provides storage for a second one! The number of chairs in a room could quickly be doubled or reduced by half with no additional storage required. Not yet commercially available, but perhaps if we give her enough attention...

Cumulus lights by Steven Haulenbeek

2007-12-25T15:11:00.000-06:00

From the designer's statement:

This lighting concept utilizes photographer’s translucent shoot-through umbrellas as modular components to create a scalable light canopy. The accumulation of these umbrellas, hung upside down, creates a cloud form. The umbrella is an object that all people can identify with. In my lighting application, the object is recontextualized to create playful light rather than reference the dark and dreary day. The Cumulus Light Canopy can be made to fit the scale of almost any space just by adding or subtracting its modular elements. It can be broken down to a fraction of its size and can be installed and de-installed almost effortlessly.

A beautiful and innovative concept...you could try DIY but Steven lists these at just $300 for a six piece unit (he'll do custom sizes as well), which is amazingly reasonable for a designer's work and cheaper than loads of far less interesting fixtures.

Energy-efficient Facilities

2007-12-21T18:26:00.001-06:00

I prefer not to use the terms 'eco' or 'green' because they are sometimes attached to a set of philosphies to which an individual church may not ascribe. But 'energy-efficient' has no such baggage...and did you know that the EPA's 'EnergyStar' program (you know, those stickers you see on appliances) has a special program strand just for congregations?

Useful how-tos, case studies, and technical support. Resources here.

Friday Feature Church: Padre Pio, Foggia, Italy

2007-12-21T17:52:00.001-06:00

Italy has stunning church architecture...from the past. Today's NewYork Times has an article on two new Italian churches by architects of note, one of which is Padre Pio, designed by the famed Renzo Piano.

"...some church officials are hoping that a return to architectural splendor will help put people in the pews...I think there will be people who come here to see the architecture, just as in Assisi people go to see the paintings of Giotto,'' said the Rev. Aldo Broccato, the Padre Pio Church's top prelate. ''If more people come to see the church and then they stay in it, I'm even happier.''

Cost: $36 million dollars (!)

Time to build: ten years (!)

Summary: The plan is based upon the spiralling of a snail shell, and technically it is a tour-de-force. From arcspace: ""The worshippers are enveloped by a gigantic snail shape, the outline of which is formed by a three-quarter circle of steadily decreasing radius. The materials, selected to express simplicity and solidity, are local stone, wood and glass. The immense roof skin is finished in pre-patinated copper with a supporting structure of wood and limestone. "

My take: Certainly an interesting use of forms and materials, but too clever by half. For all its technical virtuosity, the structural complexity seems to trap, rather than to free, the space. The main issue for me is that the low angle arches are extremely distracting in the nave/sanctuary--as if the worshipers are trapped beneath the appendages of a gigantic spider--they interfere with clear sitelines and divide the space, reducing the 'community' feel.

Learnings: Don't become so enamored of whizbang ideas that you force the functions of the church (particularly the worship experience in the sanctuary) to accomodate them. This church is a case where function followed form, rather than the other way round.

I think there could have been a better balance between the aims of the architecture and the aims of the church. But many non-churchgoers already are visiting just to see Renzo Piano's work, so the goal of the prelate has been realized.

Tree shelves

2007-12-21T07:21:00.000-06:00

Also from lago, square shelf boxes in the shape of a tree. These could easily be constructed on a smaller scale for children's nursery rooms...storage and room decor in one!

Tangram shelves

2007-12-20T09:04:00.000-06:00

These running shelves, from the Italian firm Lago, would be great in a space for children or youth. They're not currently available here in the states, but are of simple construction well within the range of an inspired carpenter.

The designs are based upon the tangram, a common children's puzzle that I remember from my own school days. From the same shapes you can also make a rabbit, a cat, a swan...all of which could be scaled up and made into shelves by the same technique. How tos for making a paper model to plan are at enchantedlearning.

Szczecin Philharmonie 2

2007-12-18T20:08:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the interior...this is the entrance hall. Brrr. As in seventies-brutalist-iceberg-Brrr. And that big heavy concrete ceiling might fall on me.

Szczecin Philharmonie

2007-12-18T19:48:00.000-06:00

A better solution to large square footage requirements than the megachurch buildings, below, is this, the winning design for the Philharmonie in Szczecin, Poland by estudio barozzi veiga. The heavy mass is broken up by the multiple towers, and the building is obviously modern but still comfortably synthesizes traditional forms; hearkening to peaked roofs and gothic spires. A beautiful building plan.

Useful place: Center for Congregations

2007-12-17T15:31:00.000-06:00

Consider yourself lucky if you live in Indianapolis and its environs...through the generosity of the Lilly Endowment you have access to the Center for Congregations, which provides advice on everything from strategic planning to fixing the gutters to congregations within their nine county service area. Advice, conferences, training and even GRANTS!

Even if you're not in Indy, you can take advantage of their web resources, which range from church conflict to church technology and everything in between. Disappointingly, the resources on 'sacred spaces' are mostly booklists, but there are some useful articles related to church design in the 'staff writing' section.

More extensive information gleaned from their years of experience is contained in a new book, Holy Spaces: Matching Sacred Space with Mission and Message, receiving excellent editorial reviews. Here's the blurb:

"Buildings communicate. Stained glass windows, high altars, multi-purpose worship/gymnasium spaces, Plexiglas pulpits, padded pews--these and all other architectural elements say something about a congregation's theology and mission. They point to a faith community's beliefs about worship, identity, purpose, and more. From the stark simplicity of a Quaker meetinghouse to the splendor of a Romanesque Revival building, sacred spaces speak loudly. What they say can either reinforce a congregation's mission or detract from it.
Holy Places is designed to be used by congregations who are involved in or are contemplating work on their facilities. This could include renovation, remodeling, expansion, or building. No matter how extensive the project, approaching the work with mission at the forefront is the key to having a final result that strengthens the congregation's ministry. The process outlined in this book--discern, decide, do--lets congregations begin where they are and provides the help they need to move to the next level. "

More Repetitive Form

2007-12-15T20:05:00.000-06:00

The beautiful work of Ken Gangbar...is it waves on the ocean or fish in the sea? Either interpretation is appropriate for a church setting; perfect for the baptistery. Ken works in ceramics, but the shape of the objects in this installation remind me of the flat, polished black landscape rocks often used in Japanese gardens. I see a stone wall inset with with flat rocks flowing like a river....

Fluorescent Lights Done Right

2007-12-13T21:26:00.000-06:00

I usually hate industrial fluorescent lighting: unflattering, uninspiring, just blah. So I was impressed by this innovative design that varies the length and color temperature of the tubes and their placement along the ceiling to create an interesting and appealing lighting scheme. Cheap, efficient, and relatively easy to accomplish (lights like this just have one ballast, which could be installed along the ceiling in conventional fashion while the lightbox itself is shifted to fit into the staggered pattern). From Klein-Dytham again, they of the water bottles below.

Flexible Floor Plans from the 1940s

2007-12-13T17:01:00.000-06:00

Having recently written about the architect Erich Mendelsohn in a completely different context (1920s landscape design) I was excited to discover this information (also on Ron Geyer's site) about his synagogue plans, "a simple but practical way of combining and separating spaces to accommodate dramatic changes in attendance on special days of worship... he organizes the temple and assembly space (think Fellowship Hall) on opposite sides of a large vestibule. On most days, sliding or folding partitions separate the three rooms. When large crowds are expected, the partitions are moved out of the way so that all three spaces can be combined."

Liturgical Rooflines

2007-12-13T14:22:00.000-06:00

Is roof pitch a reliable indicator of liturgical style?

From left to right (no pun intended):

Cathopiscopal, Methobapterian, Indepentalist

Clever post from architect Ron Geyer, who blogs at churchthatmoves.

Thoughtful writing about what church architecture means/is, and the first 'churchy' site I've found worthy of adding to the honor roll.

Mega-church, Mega-architecture?

2007-12-13T00:25:00.000-06:00

I've returned several times to this slideshow from Slate magazine, of megachurch architecture. By the eminent Wytold Rybczynski (highly recommend any of his books, BTW).

He rightly points out their main architectural flaw-- sheer size makes most of them awkward and badly scaled--and touches nonjudgmentally on a more significant design issue, that they are 'relentlessly secular', pointedly lacking in any ecclesiastical symbolism or traditional religious imagery and easily mistaken for a performing arts center or corporate headquarters. Which perhaps they are.

Mega-church, Mega-architecture II

2007-12-13T00:15:00.000-06:00

Some of the comments posted in response to the slide show are also insightful in thinking about church architecture:

rob_said_that wonders if "skyboxes are far behind" at evangelical megachurches:

Viewing these images of the megachurch in action, I got the feeling that they've kept everything bad about the scale of Gothic and Renaissance cathedrals but little of the good. In fact, it's all about scale. How big can we make it, how many people can we fit into it, how small can we make people feel individually yet how big as a group?…In these modern megacathedrals (or, in some cases, dihedrals, since some of them look as swept as jet wings), where are the arcades, the columns, the clerestory windows, the pendentives holding up the dome, all the fine details that furnish you with eye candy. If you're in one of these football stadiums like the one in Houston, the stage-altar has been reduced to the level of a detail: you can only see the pastor on the Jumbo-Tron. (Question: are they going to feature instant replays?) Will wealthy supporters be able to view the service from skyboxes, where they can sit outside in a private loge or retire indoors to view the service on HDTV while noshing on the full buffet?
Rob may be half-joking about the skyboxes, but it underscores his larger point that
What these megachurches do preserve of the cathedral tradition is the notion of class hierarchy. In the old system, the apportionment of seating reflected the notion of a structured society: God was at the top, the clergy were next to God, the wealthy nobility were next to the clergy in the pews (but just across the altar rail), and the common folk milled about in the nave…

For stewartandall here, "these churches reflect suburban culture and its demands for comfort above transcendence,"

and the_count remarks that "the new architecture mirrors the new religiosity in america":
where once you might have strolled among quiet cloisters, alone but for the echoes of your footsteps (and perhaps, god,) you now have conference rooms, where you confer with men…where once you might have found solid stone walls resonating with a sense of timelessness and permanence, you now find drywall or, at best, concrete. it seems everywhere, you're reminded that you are in the house of man, a house of men.sure, one might say it encourages congregation and fellowship. and call me conservative if you must…but i've always considered religion a profoundly personal affair…sadly, these new "churches" seem to me to discourage personal communion and deep reflection--opting instead for the frenzied mob and the herd mentality, where peer pressure and peer reinforcement drown out the quieter, and perhaps truer, message(s) of christ.to my senses, these new "churches" combine all that's wrong with religion with all that's wrong with secularism--and the religiosity birthed is the sort that exalts and congratulates man, the sort that, far from bringing god into personal lives, relegates god's existence (dubious as that already seems) to mere pages in a book--law to be propounded from above rather than love graced, to effuse from within.

Here, haikured offers a more mainline assessment:
A fundamental problem for designing a modern cathedral that is inspirational or awe-inducing is that massive architecture has now become common-place. In the middle ages, a cathedral was a scientific marvel, and probably by far the biggest enclosed space a person would go into. Now even houses have "cathedral ceilings", not too mention what we routinely see in shopping malls, government buildings, and sports arenas. So people are harder to impress. But there is also a difference of focus. Entering an old cathedral, attention seems drawn upwards, to the space itself, whereas the altar and whoever is on it often seems somewhat small, and at various corners completely obscured and hard to hear. The main event is the enclosed sacred space, which is felt even when the church is empty. In new mega-churches, the "main event" is clearly what is happening on the stage.