Church architecture and interior design is always evolving. If you’re embarking on a church building project, here are four trends that are hot—and two that are not:
What’s Hot
1. Wayfinding for the lost
Evan McBroom, founder of Fishhook, a church communications company, says, “It's always someone's first Sunday.” Churches now give consideration to signage and wayfinding early in the process instead of at the end. And they’re using clear terms: “gym” rather than “family activity center”; or “kids check-in” rather than “Jericho Junction.”
2. Open-zone offices
Most churches follow a standard office layout: the senior pastor has a private office, associates have smaller private offices, and the administrative staff works in the open. Aspen interior designer Lynn Pickard sees the office shifting to open-zone offices—which require less square footage—and incorporating private rooms for counseling sessions, private phone calls, prayer rooms, or small-group space.
3. Grids and angles
Says Pickard, “In church interiors, everything used to be curved or rounded. Now churches are more comfortable using grids and angled lines. This could signal a shift toward a more masculine décor.”
4. Security technology
Given reports of gun violence and terror attacks, Randy Seitz, an architect with Blue Ridge Architects in Harrisonburg, Virginia, says he sees churches using technology to help monitor and protect kids, watch traffic inside and outside the building, and secure entry points to church staff.
What’s Not
1. Storage
Says Aspen architect Derek DeGroot, “Few churches need the junk they like to keep.” With some creativity, there are many ways to solve the storage problem.
2. Coat rooms and mailboxes
Once staples of the church narthex, these are not worth the real estate, says Seitz.
To read more about trends in church architecture and design, check out the article, "5 Church Design Trends for 2017."