Small Space . Big Impact .
Case Study Showcase
Making room for more children + more friends + more families
By Jonathan Fallin , AIA
When your church is located down the street from Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Florida , your children ’ s spaces really need to be next-level cool .
The building blocks of fun Today , what was once a limited , unconsidered space is a “ big-glass-box hub ” that not only connects the two facilities but also attracts people from the outside in . This brand-new community gathering space includes some interactive elements , including a slide from the top floor to the atrium — something kids and adults alike can ( and do ) enjoy . Perhaps most importantly , this space gives the church the ability to easily send parents and kids where they need to go . Suites were created for each age group , each with glass walls and its own individual check-in area and lobby . The end product is very different than what church leaders initially expected , or even thought that they wanted . But it also meets their needs so much better than imagined . This is evident in the kids ’ facilities ’ popularity — not just among families , but the church as a whole . Meetings and conventions are also held in the space . Our goal with this facility was to create a “ fun zone ” feel . Inside , colorful arrows and super-graphics point the way , ensuring easy navigation to each department . Also , the facility is highly visible from the parking lot . We chose to keep the glass as clear as possible without creating a solar heat gain problem ; this really allows the colors to pop from the inside . As a result , the buildings act as a beacon . The first impression churchgoers get is : This is all about your kids . Orlando First Baptist needed this to be a place children would be excited about , even with Universal Studios and Disney World right down the road . Because it was so intentional on this point , the church has many more guests than a typical church . When a Baptist family comes to Disney World and happens to be in town on a Sunday , this is the church they bring their kids to .
At Orlando First Baptist , a pair of three-story kids ’ buildings — now connected by a colorful , glassed-in atrium — definitely rises to the challenge .
Prior to our firm ’ s work at Orlando First Baptist , these two buildings were siloed physically and functionally . The nursery , preschool , and spaces for different age groups were spread out between the pair of structures . This made sense at the time ; originally , the church broke down these buildings mainly for economy of the fire code . Both buildings had their own lobbies with somewhat confusing directions — something that presented a perpetual issue for parents . Church leaders did the best they could to make wayfinding clear with signage ; even so , for a family with three or four children needing to go to three or four different areas , getting them there remained somewhat of a chore . So , when leaders approached our firm , they said their primary goal was to renovate the two kids ’ buildings . Little did they know that an even better solution was right in front of their eyes : an unused ( mostly disregarded ) 2,100-square-foot area between the buildings . We had a big idea : to nearly triple the 2,100 available square feet to 8,500 square feet by “ going vertical .” The result would be a colorful , glassed-in , three-story atrium . Granted , this was a much different concept than the church originally had in mind . But when we asked them to up the budget enough to transform this empty space into something truly functional and fun , they stepped up and work began .
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