Whether you’re designing a new church from the ground up or breathing new life into an existing sacred space through renovations or a new addition, you will need specialized experts to guide you through the design and construction process. This may include architects, surveyors, land use professionals, and civil, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers who can help you map out and execute a clear vision for your faith-based facility.
LAN Associates is an architecture and engineering firm with extensive experience in church design. Our licensed professionals have compiled this guide to provide a comprehensive overview of the process, including pre-design, master planning, design, bidding, and construction. Our goal is to help address common questions that may arise when building a religious facility.
The first phase of any architectural and engineering project is pre-design, and church design is no different. The pre-design phase is where you lay the groundwork for your project.
With limited investment, at the end of the pre-design phase, you will have a firm understanding of the size, scope, and cost of your church construction project. At this point, your architect may also help you with any marketing and fundraising campaigns that will be necessary to advance the project. This can include providing your church with renderings and plans to help you cast the vision to build excitement and investment.
It is important to note that when you define the vision for your church, you should consider both the short- and long-term goals of your parish. Ask yourself: is this project the first of many facility upgrades? If so, do you have a long-range master plan?
Master planning is where you work with your architect and engineer to anticipate and plan for your congregation’s future growth. You understand the current limitations of your facilities, identify future needs, and set goals for your church and community. This phase is about working with your design team to map out how your facilities can support those needs, both now and in the future. You may just need a flexible multipurpose space to serve a small but loyal group of parishioners or a growing youth program. You might be planning for growth with an elaborate campus plan to accommodate space for several classrooms and community events with a large addition.
Once you have worked with your architectural and engineering team on a plan, they will create concept sketches to start the process of bringing your vision to life. Many times, master planning is an essential element undertaken during a feasibility study and is centered on your needs and the vision of your project.
To arrive at an optimal design, it is important that your architect facilitates a thoughtful and interactive approach to the design process, the phasing of which typically includes schematic design, design development, and completion of construction documents and final specifications.
The design process is where the ideas laid out in pre-design take shape and translate into drawings and sketches that define aspects of the project. At this point, your design team will most likely have expanded beyond just an architect.
The design process often includes mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and civil engineers, as well as land use, environmental, and surveying professionals. These experts can address site development, drainage, building systems and utilities, and other practical aspects to ensure your church’s long-term sustainability. Specialists like this are also needed to help you navigate permitting and approvals and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. Effective land use planning can also help you optimize your property’s functionality and aesthetics.
Space planning is a key element in the design phase of a church construction project. This is the process of determining the ideal layout for your church building, including allocating the spaces you need for worship, community activities, administration, and educational purposes. This is often discussed within the initial feasibility study. A typical deliverable from this phase would include a diagrammatic layout of your project in addition to a room matrix outlining room types, size and special requirements.
Once you have created a functional floor plan, you will need to determine your architectural style. This is where your decisions can have a notable impact on the atmosphere of your house of worship, which will shape the impression and mood your parish wishes to convey. For example, classical, gothic, modern, and contemporary designs all have very different ambiances, and you should select a style that aligns with your congregation’s beliefs and traditions. Even if you opt for a traditional or classical design, there are ways to embrace specific styles while incorporating contemporary design elements.
Ecclesiastical architecture is unique because of the critical role symbolism and iconography play in design. It is important to hire an architect with ecclesiastical experience who can help identify and incorporate familiar icons, sacred imagery, and religious motifs. These elements are then complemented and enhanced by interior design through your choice of materials, colors, textures, artwork, stained glass, and all the other elements that comprise the visual and spiritual aesthetics of your church.
Once you have considered spatial needs, flow of spaces, and aesthetics, there are several other aspects of building design that should be addressed.
Your architectural team should be able to help with recommending qualified contractors and soliciting bids. They can help your church select the right contractor by conducting interviews and evaluating candidates based on their experience and expertise in church construction.
When it’s finally time to start construction on your church project, it is important to have someone overseeing the construction who can successfully bring the vision you and your design team worked on to fruition. This is crucial for efficient project management that oversees costs and resources to ensure you stay within budget. When possible, LAN Associates utilizes our in-house construction administrators, who work side-by-side daily with our architectural and engineering teams to ensure total alignment on project goals and approaches.
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Designing and completing a church construction project requires a delicate balance between the functional requirements, design objectives, budget, and symbolism that meet your congregation’s spiritual requirements. The goal is to create a welcoming, accessible, sacred space that inspires and fosters community. Your architecture and engineering team should not only be committed to the practical aspects of getting the project designed, but also to helping you bring your vision to life while upholding the values and traditions of your faith.
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