The Word On Seeker Design
Leading architects talk about the design principles behind today’s successful seeker-oriented church facilities
As published in Worship Facilities, Jul/Aug 2006
If you build it, will they come? The "it" being a seeker-focused facility that fulfills a church's ministry objectives. And the "they" being the unchurched or disenfranchised of a community, or those who have simply been out of the church loop for so long that they never thought they'd come back again. Yet, most everyone eventually seeks to fill a spiritual need. And not just any facility will beckon to them in a non-intimidating fashion. Worship Facilities sought out some leading church design architects to learn about the nuances of designing seeker-focused facilities, and learned it's oftentimes what's on the inside that counts most.
Architecture and Design Considerations
By its very nature, a seeker-focused church attempts to reach out to people who may be leery or resentful of what traditional churches seem to represent – strict dogma and rigid thinking.
According to Jeff Harris, principal with WPH – Architects for Ministry in Penndel, Pennsylvania, an architecture firm that specializes in worship facilities, the ministry model of a seeker church definitely affects its design and architecture. "A 'seeker-focused' church is one that is attempting to get inside the mind of a person that does not typically attend church and find ways to make the church-going experience different and inviting. This type of person often has biases toward church that need to be addressed," he says.
Harris says that architecture plays a major role in the seeker church experience by helping draw people to the facility in the first place. "Church designs of this nature are attempts to create an environment that is closer to the everyday experience of an average seeker. Office parks, malls and theaters are actually closer design models for this type of facility than the traditional church," he explains.
Viviana C. Varnado is division director of Sparks Spiritual, an arm of Sparks, an architectural engineering company located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Varnado's take on how the ministry model of a seeker church affects architecture and design is this: Seeker church design must deliver a comfort level and sense of openness and informality to the seeker that "speaks of friendliness and drives away fear."
And she adds, "This is achieved especially in the gathering/foyer spaces where a welcome center provides information and direction, the smell of Starbucks coffee and pastries awaits beside bistro-style seating, as well as a bookstore/library and loft lounge seating."
In terms of architecture, Varnado says the large foyers or gathering spaces of seeker churches tend to work well with ample amounts of glass to allow natural light to stream in. Flexible spaces, too, are important, so that either small groups or large groups may gather as the situation arises, and so that different activities and functions can be easily accommodated.
Michael Cardinal, principal, and Carson Durham, associates, with BLDD Architects in Decatur, Illinois, an architecture group with a specialization in creating spiritual spaces, report that design considerations in seeker-focused churches tend, in general, to contain very little religious symbolism, such as steeples. Yet other design elements of these ministries can be fairly individual to the church itself.
Cardinal says, "Many seeker-focused churches have sports ministries for young adults and families. They may also use dramatic presentations to convey messages DVDs, to convey secular messages to the congregation [during worship services]. The idea is to use every day things to relate to every day people." As an example, Cardinal says his firm has developed a multi-purpose arena for a seeker church in Springfield, Illinois, that makes use of such media for presentations.
Cardinal also believes that an inviting and natural setting is essential to the church. As he says, "In many of the seeker-friendly churches that we have designed, we have provided a large gathering space with a glass atrium accompanied by some sort and other food. This inviting space off ers seekers the opportunity to observe and interact with the church body while encouraging them to stay and enjoy something as simple as refreshments and fellowship. It really is an inviting and encouraging atmosphere."
Another example that Cardinal off ers is this: "In Eastview Christian Church in Bloomington, Illinois, a bookstore was provided adjacent to the atrium. It serves as yet another type of space that welcomes and encourages people to gather and stay in a comfortable environment."
All of these different spaces, in addition to those components such as theater seating for dramatic presentations, sports in ways that are not necessarily associated with traditional church architecture, according to Cardinal.
So how do architects like BLDD learn the ropes at each individual seeker church in order to make sure architectural design is on the money? Durham says the formula is simple, "We attend the worship services and ask as many questions as possible."
Seeker Facility Design Challenges
With so much flexibility to accommodate within the seeker church ministry model, how can one facility ever meet the challenge?
Durham says, "The size [of seeker churches] is both wonderful and complex all at the same time." He admits it's often challenging to get seekers to assimilate and absorb into the church facility, yet gaining input from the staff and the congregation is essential in the process. "Once we gain that essential knowledge, the design comes naturally in the process," he adds.
Yet another design challenge, according to Cardinal, is creating the design flexibility to deliver the audiovisual capabilities the typical seeker church will need. "It can be a tremendous challenge to harness both an organ and a praise band," he explains, "but the result can create an amazing and memorable worship experience."
Harris says he and his firm meet design challenges with seeker churches by keeping in mind a 10-minute window which "The design questions would then be: is there sufficient parking, is it easy to find the main entrance and, once inside the building, is the space inviting and conducive to fellowship?" he asks. Harris says once these basic design concerns have been addressed, then other elements of inspirational worship, such as multi-media experience needs, can be handled.
Best Seeker Design Concepts
Friendly, open spaces with a living room type of appeal in the gathering space and other meeting areas, such as bookstores and bistros resonate well with today's seekers, according to Varnado.
"Multiuse of spaces and great functionality throughout, informal architecture, places of casual encounter conducive to connect with others and with God" are what draw seekers, Varnado adds.
Durham says the whole idea of creating a community center is what's most appealing to seekers. "The design must be open and receptive to people 24 hours a day," he adds. "It must also be a place where the whole family feels comfortable to worship and learn together. It can be referred to as a spiritual community college."
Harris believes that no one design concept will resonate with all seekers. "Every church has a collective personality that is different, and the local community that they are trying to reach is different as well. There are no rules of thumb as to style," he says.
Yet, Harris does contend that the age of seekers affects design. "Much of that has to do with the larger cultural shift that we are experiencing from the modern to the post-modern world," he posits. "The classic 'seeker-sensitive' model for worship resonates well with the baby boomer generation but it is having mixed results with younger generations."
Harris contends that various design concepts built around friendliness and fellowship are universal to all cultures and generations. "But the specific way the church worships is changing dramatically from a spectator sport to an interactive experience," he says.
Carol Badaracco Padgett is a freelance writer based in Kennesaw, Georgia. She can be reached at .
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