3 insights + 1 industry tip
There are 3 critical steps to make the proverbial magic happen for a superior and cost-effective new development or facilities upgrade.
I started by asking two professionals — one pastor of operations and one interior designer — for some direct advice for pastors embarking on a remodel or new church build. Three concepts emerged from our conversations.
I then sought out an industry recommendation from a seasoned church architect.
I first spoke with Interior Designer Katherine Wiley. She has 15+ years of experience working at church-, library- and school-centered firms. Given her experience, I asked: What would be helpful for the team on the other side of the table to know?
She recalled working on an extension project for Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall, TX as a stand out example of efficacy in a project.
“They knew what they wanted, they knew who would be utilizing the space, and they knew what to express,” Wiley said. They pre-collaborated to get a unified vision, which is something Wiley says that churches struggle with a lot. In this case, she was working with three people: a designer from the church, the pastor, and their contractor. They had their goals aligned, which made the selection process go quickly. Timing was also very efficient because the church had a solid contractor on the design team from the beginning.
Wiley recommends that churches work together to prepare a unified vision ahead of time; then, entrust a small team to move forward with the project. Have a reputable contractor in place early to forecast building costs as the design develops and to execute a faster quality construction.
Since this was such a standout project in Wiley’s experience, I decided to follow up with John Wardell, the pastor of operations at Lake Pointe Church Rockwall. Pastor Wardell has been the manager of operations for Lake Pointe Church for more than 35 years, predating the Rockwall campus. He is a highly experienced operations pastor and familiar with the process Lake Pointe Church used in building new campuses, renovations and extensions.
I asked Wardell what he recommends that pastors and church boards consider as they plan their new buildings or upgrades. He advised against having too many people in either the design or the decision-making process. “Their projects often go undone because too many people are trying to guide the process,” he explains.
Wardell further cautioned that there is a long history of churches relying on committees which are unable to make decisions. “Once you have landed on your design, involve your builder or a construction consultant early in the process to value engineer the building to maximize your resources,” he suggests.
Wiley and Wardell independently provided the same counsel:
- Prepare a unified vision first.
- Whittle down your team to the absolute minimum.
- Hire a contractor early to work collaboratively with your architect.
Finally, I asked David Shanks — principal architect and president of church-focused firms for 30+ years — for his industry recommendations. His response? To seek out an architect-led program during the very early preparation phase.
“It’s at that early collaborative phase of creating a unified vision that an architect-led program can provide value to that process,” he advises. “It’s a scope-identifying activity. It seeks out all the problems to solve long before beginning the design of a project and incurring serious costs and time.”
An architect-led program identifies the true statement of need and estimates the cost, he adds. In effect, this helps the church discover its budget, clarify the vision within that budget, and determine the true scope of the desired project.
Heather Wiley is an associate at Shanks Architects.
