Small Space . Big Impact .
Case Study Showcase
Frugal , yet fantastic
Designing a user experience that supports the vision and ministry of the facility — on a budget
By Ravi Waldon , AIA , LEED AP
Ragamuffins , before
Looking at the really amazing spaces in church design magazines certainly can make one drool . It ’ s all wonderful if the church has a vast budget , unconstrained land , and a lot of resources .
But how does a ministry do something creative when there ’ s only a small space to work with and a tight budget ?
The challenge calls for a lot of creativity , to be sure , along with a willingness to lean into elements of design that deliver the most “ bang for the buck .”
City Life Philly , before
City Life Philly , after
Keys to pulling it off successfully If you haven ’ t yet acquired your space and are looking around , an architect can provide a quick study for how much space is needed . Before signing on the dotted line for a lease or purchase , careful due diligence is needed ; sometimes a good deal really is too good to be true . In many spaces — such as office spaces , flex warehouses , food stores , or any other non-assembly building — you can run into a buzzsaw of code issues due to the change of use or work needed to bring the building up to current codes . Such tripwire issues commonly include upgrading the HVAC systems , ensuring adequate electrical power , or adding building accessibility .
Reimagining a tired building for vibrant ministry City Life Philly is a wonderful example of a multiple-small-spaces-ona-modest-budget project done right . City Life purchased a 1950s building for use as a school and church . Inside , it was dark , its floors were badly settling , and the whole vibe of the building simply didn ’ t reflect the vibrant , energetic ministry serving South Philly . Over a period of a few years , the church did four small projects that have essentially transformed the facility . The goals were to create a fellowship
Ragamuffins , after environment that ’ s more welcoming , open and has more natural light , and to improve the endless tight halls of the old-school design . The first project involved transforming the worship space . Adding lighting and removing the antiquated ceiling — for a more “ tech ” vibe — went a long way towards updating the tired auditorium . One complication was maintaining a safe exit from the balcony , which was all but abandoned for a more intimate worship venue . In addition to updated AVL , seats were reupholstered and the old carpet removed . The second project was perhaps the most disruptive , since the building had a curved , six-foot hallway and a very restricted entry . The new design opens up the lobby and hallway into a single , more welcoming space . This change in the masonry walls was the most expensive part of the work , but also the most impactful in breaking up the closed-in feeling of the building . It allows natural light to flow deeper into the interior of the building at the front primary entry . The secondary side entry — which is heavily used as the children ’ s entry — opens into a wide-open children ’ s check-in area that ’ s friendly and secure . On the opposite side of the building , youth spaces were upgraded mostly by removing old finishes and using sealed concrete , color , and graphics . Each of these projects was done separately . Working in existing spaces presents potential for disruption of the ongoing functions , but the contractor was sensitive to the need to use the building on Sundays and was expeditious in its pace of work .
Church / community space done right Another example of a small-scale , big-impact project is our firm ’ s work for Ragamuffins , a church for 50 congregants who sought to be ministering in their small town . This 4,000-square-foot space allowed for a coffee shop ( with the best coffee around , by the way !) on the first level and a community space on the lower level for small exercise classes , concerts , or Sunday worship . This project was done on a highly restricted budget and developed in a very “ vanilla ” tenant space ; simple choices of color and materials gave it an old-building feel , which the church really wanted . The key for such a design is to focus on one solid design idea and not be too ‘ scattered ’ in the use of multiple design notions .
Whether large or small , or a building conversion or tenant-space improvement , the common attributes of a successful design are forethought and creativity in the use of color , light and space .
Ravi Waldon , AIA , LEED AP is Principal and Faith-Based Practice Leader at Michael Graves Architecture . [
www . michaelgraves . com ]
CHURCH EXECUTIVE . COM | 33