Church Executive CHURCH DESIGN TRENDS | Page 3

Church Design TRENDS Expert perspectives on emerging trends, outdated ones, and ministry-specific design movements Dan J. McCormack: Power Access Corporation was founded in 1972 — 18 years prior to passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. We were among the first manufacturers of automatic door openers and one of the few resources available to churches concerned for their special needs members and visitors. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with thousands of faith-based communities. We understand church budgets are stretched and recognize the greatest value for church resources is gained through mission and ministry. We provide a special church discount to make accessibility more cost-efficient. Facility committees use member-volunteers to perform installation of our door openers, supported by a 24/7 technical assistance resource. This further facilitates the use of funds for each church’s mission. David Strickland: Each faith-based facility is unique, which presents exciting new challenges. But mostly, it’s the people. Church projects are often led by volunteers investing their time, talents and earthly riches. It’s inspiring to see and rewarding to be able to help them in the process. Mark Allen: We feel that the Body of Christ provides the most important service on Earth — helping people find and follow Jesus! We’re honored that churches across the country have entrusted us to be a part of their team. We’re passionate about the Church, and the opportunity to express the creative gifts placed within us by God is not only a thrill but also an opportunity to create environments that honor God and inspire people! As you look forward to 2020 and beyond, what design trends are you expecting to ‘pick up steam’ in the house-of-worship market, and why? Mark Allen Partner SPACE Architecture Kerry Jones Director, Client Relations Goff Companies Trung Doan, AIA Partner Studio RED Architects Dan J. McCormack Owner, CEO and President Power Access Corporation Rodney C. James President Master’s Plan Church Design & Construction David Strickland, AIA, LEED AP B+C Principal CDH Partners What’s especially appealing about working with churches? Trung Doan: Churches are the hands and feet of faith, and we consider it a privilege to equip churches to continue making a difference. Rodney C. James: Mentoring, leading and helping pastors. Most didn’t get a class in church design, construction or remodeling. Kerry Jones: Pastors are visionaries with a passion to touch people and build God’s kingdom. Churches are experts in building people, but often not at building facilities. It’s our ministry calling to partner with pastors and church leaders to provide expertise in facility expansion / renovation in a way that keeps the church financially healthy and provides a means to further advance both the Church’s mission and God’s kingdom. churchexecutive.com Jones: For some time, new church designs have included a large Commons area — typically around the size of the worship room seating area. This multifunction space is used for people connection, small groups and fellowship. We see this trend gaining momentum with AVL and other ministry components to accommodate special services, such as baptism and weddings. Security is another area to which churches are devoting significant resources. Secure children’s ministry areas have long been a high priority, and that continues. We’re also seeing a trend to enhance building security with the ability to quickly shut down areas of the building in the event of a shooter or other emergency. The lowering cost of LED video components is making them very popular. So, they’re included in most new construction and renovations. McCormack: Churches are increasingly incorporating accessibility on their campuses — and keeping members, and even their local communities, engaged in the process. It’s common practice among our church partners to use charitable contributions specifically for accessibility projects, including the installation of automatic door openers. Strickland: Adaptive reuse — many churches are repurposing their old buildings and finding old shopping centers or office buildings to convert into places of worship. This is an economical approach since the building envelope is generally the most costly part of a facility. Technology is another trend we don’t expect to slow down. Churches are postponing additions of large worship centers and instead simulcasting services across their campus or to satellites. These are smart trends that allow churches to serve more members in ways that weren’t possible before, while simultaneously saving on costs. Allen: Church design is as diverse as your home is from mine. We never think in terms of “design trends,” as they have an expiration date. Instead, through a detailed programming session and ongoing communication, we determine “what church type” we’re designing for and “what specifically” their ministry goals are. In great church design, the design team should often challenge previous notions of building design for more satisfying and effective ministry spaces. C H U R C H S E C U R I T Y & S U R V E I L L A N C E • CHURCH EXECUTIVE 3