If you’re looking to invest in a brand new worship building, you no doubt want something that will allow the people inside to deepen their spirituality and investigate their relationship with their religion. Indeed, the atmosphere in which a person worships can drastically affect the productivity of their practice. Perhaps you, in your own spiritual journey, have experienced firsthand the effects of a poorly-designed worship building, hence your determination to never provide that sort of environment for others.
You have a noble goal indeed, and Miller Architects & Builders of Saint Cloud wants to be with you every step of the way. We have extensive experience with both the architectural design and the construction project management of religious buildings across Minnesota, and we’d be privileged to combine our knowledge with your devotion to your faith to create a brand new place of worship.
What makes a great worship building? We’ll help you answer that question, but first a few things to keep in mind during the planning process.
All Faiths and Congregations are Different
As we all know, there are many different religions that might seek a customized worship building. Inside each of those religions, each congregation is unique in its atmosphere and exact method of worship. What makes a great worship building is architects that understand the congregational needs of the particular client and a great construction management company that can bring those plans to fruition.
If you want to make sure your new worship building turns out perfectly suited for your congregation’s needs, it should start on your end by asking the right questions.
Is My Congregation Contemporary or Traditional?
Of course, your group might also fall somewhere in the middle of the two. The answer to this question will help to dictate what aesthetic your architectural design and materials will be. For instance, contemporary worship spaces might feature a stage for upbeat performances, while more traditional buildings may opt for long-established worship spaces.
How Many People Will the Worship Rooms Need to Accommodate at Once?
In other words, is your congregation composed of hundreds of people or a small congregation? This helps to show your architect where to prioritize space. It also helps your construction management pro analize codes for parking etc.
What Are the Rooms or Facets That Must Appear in My Architectural Design for Me to Be Satisfied?
Client satisfaction is of top priority to many construction companies, including Miller, but we can’t make you happy if we don’t know your must-haves! Rest assured that, during our consultation, we’ll help you find these along the way if you aren’t exactly sure where to start.
The Role of Trends in Worship Building Construction
Faith never goes out of style, so neither should your building. While looking into trends can be a great way to make the space open and inviting to new attendees, the best worship buildings don’t rely on them too extensively. Finding a balance between classical and modern-day styles is often—but not always—the best approach for most builds of this type. Traditional styles have staying power, while trends let potential attendees know that your congregation is with the times.
Striking that balance, though, is no easy feat; luckily, we’ve written an entire blog on the subject, so check it out for a few helpful tips. The short version, though, is this: by viewing your build as an investment and prioritizing functionality, you’ll ensure that trends have their role in your build while also having a healthy harkening back to tradition.
Keep Community Life in Mind
For many people, worship is more than showing up on the designated holy days. It’s a community, a bonding with those who share the same ideas about faith that they do. And to facilitate this, your building will need versatile rooms that can transform from places of worship to event spaces.
As a Forbes article puts it: “when we are part of a thriving community, we feel a sense of kinship, camaraderie, and connectedness.” Consider what sorts of additional spaces your worship building might need in order to work towards the goal of these feelings. Might you, for instance, need a playground for children to make friends after service? Or how about a wide-open spare room that can accommodate fellowship?
Narrowing down the specifics will get you a build that actively caters to your community’s way of life.
Contact Miller Architects & Builders for Comprehensive Construction Management and Architectural Design
We’ll be with you every step of the way, seeing the project from start to finish. Give our Saint Cloud office a call now at 320-251-4109.