Arguably one of the unique aspects of church architecture and technology design is just how democratic the process often is: depending on the house of worship, the number of people providing design input can be … well, numerous. For architects and technology designers, this is a significant challenge: while every voice should be heard, there’s a lot of feedback to sift through. At the same time, it’s also in the design experts’ best interests to go through this process as efficiently as possible in order to remain profitable by keeping the project on schedule, and within budget.
Coupled with these challenges is the fact that, in most cases, the church has never been through a design and construction project, or a large-scale technology deployment, before. “The reality is most churches only do this once,” says Brian O’Morrow, church relations at CCI Solutions, an audio, video, and lighting design and integration firm headquartered in Olympia, Washington. “We’re teaching them how to interact with an integrator, and we’re showing them that they don’t have to be apprehensive, because the project process can be a positive experience when approached with personalized care.”
“Each different church could be approached like its own category within the house of worship market, and you have to treat them with that respect."
Brian O'Morrow, Church Relations, CCI Solutions, Olympia, WA
At CCI Solutions, O’Morrow relays that he and his team invest a considerable amount of time in getting to know each church well prior to hitting the drawing board. This involves in-depth conversations with everyone from senior pastors, worship leaders, and AVL production teams to elders, church financial officers, active members, and what O’Morrow calls “super volunteers”––those who commit a significant amount of their time to serving the church. It’s during these discussions that he and his team are able to identify and cultivate church “ambassadors” to help streamline the process; it’s these individuals who act as a liaison between CCI and the various church committees who will be providing feedback and asking questions throughout the project.
Relationship-building
O’Morrow says that spending this much time establishing relationships up front helps to prevent projects from being derailed later down the line. “The vertical and horizontal structure of the church needs to be represented [in these early meetings] so that the project doesn’t get sidetracked when someone influential pops up later,” he says. “You might hear something like ‘this overseer appeared halfway through the project and wanted to be caught up, and it caused the whole process to stop.’ Well then, I would say that it was on the integrator to do their due diligence and make sure the right people were in the initial meetings and representing not just themselves, but the group of people that think like them.”
Specialized Planning & Architecture for Church Environments (SPACE), based in Edmond, Oklahoma, provides planning, design, and project development for churches across the U.S. Thomas Small, AIA/NCARB, partner, explains that he and his partner, Mark Allen, have found that having the house of worship client designate one primary contact for them to interact with is the best approach. “This is not to say that we don’t connect with others at the church––including ministry leaders, elders, and even other consultants that the church might retain,” he clarifies. These exchanges, however, are always conducted through that primary contact. He adds that usually this individual is the executive pastor (when that position exists within the church), the lead pastor, or, in some cases, a church member who has experience in design and/or construction.
“This arrangement is recommended by SPACE as the most efficient and effective policy through which to communicate with the local church,” Small explains. SPACE also dedicates a “partner in charge” (either Small or Allen) as the church’s primary contact. As the project advances into the nitty-gritty design phase, a project manager/architect handles the majority of the communications between the firm and the church, with the partner in charge copied on these exchanges so they may continue monitoring project progress and offer any required input.
Small notes that SPACE also offers churches access to a secure, password-protected website dedicated to each project. “[This allows] anyone the church wishes to have 24/7 access to current project information, from drawings, to field reports, to contractor pay applications, and similar documentation,” he describes. “Those who are allowed access are therefore able to keep updated concerning the project’s development and status without having to contact other parties.”
SPACE offers churches access to a secure, password-protected website dedicated to each project.
For O’Morrow, truly to getting to know each church he works with, and investing in the development of strong relationships within these organizations, helps to build a level of trust that doesn’t just benefit the project––it lays the groundwork for a long-term partnership. On top of this, he adds that it’s equally important to have a deep understanding of how different denominations tend to approach projects and make decisions, as well as the sometimes subtle differences between them, to be able to properly address each church with understanding and respect. “Each different church could be approached like its own category within the house of worship market, and you have to treat them with that respect,” he says. “If you approach them with desire to understand their programming, their typical use of space, and their specific challenges, your chances of serving them go way up, because they’re not ‘just a church’ to you. I have talked with many churches have had interactions where they were felt labeled and categorized simply at ‘house of worship,' and that was offensive to them. A high level of care is what sets you up for success, and builds a long-term relationship built on trust and respect.”
CCI Solutions
SPACE (Specialized Planning & Architecture for Church Environments)
