Brown, Brown & Associates – Architects Takes on Revitalization of Custer Road United Methodist Church Design
Richardson, TX, August 29, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Brown, Brown & Associates – Architects have signed on to redesign the Custer Road United Methodist Church of Plano, Texas to provide members an area to socialize and linger. Having successfully assisted the church with 9 previous growth phases, Brown, Brown & Associates – Architects of Richardson, Texas provided an innovative, affordable, and ‘congregation friendly’ design solution that ‘wowed’ the Custer Road Committee.
Hardy Brown, architect and partner in the third-generation firm said, “The old Fellowship Hall was under used, yet it is essentially the hub of the church – the first space a visitor likely sees and a key in turning visitors into members. As we began the project, we saw that it was a leftover hole in the Church campus complex, serving in a perpetual ‘garage-sale’ type role, storing bags of donated items. The difficulty we immediately bumped into was working a unique new design into the existing rigid décor system of red carpet and white column colonial. To break out of just making the space ‘nicer’ as opposed to a relaxing and inviting social and fellowship area, we challenged ourselves at every decision point to pick the more exciting rather than the safer path. We feel that in this day and age of coffee-culture consciousness, churches would be wise to offer a legitimate ‘place’ (like you would find in a coffee house) with a challenging, distinct aesthetic that still works with the whole – while establishing itself as a desired destination and a place people want to be.”
The design into a “coffee house” atmosphere is based on the argument by some church specialists that the fellowship space is the most important space in a church and that the 20 minutes after the service are the most important time. This is because the success of that time largely determines whether the church becomes merely a performance or a family of believers.
To that end, Brown, Brown & Associates – Architects maximized the impact of the coffee area as it is a familiar, cultural issue to help people feel at home and welcome.
The design concept opened up 2 current class rooms south of the Church’s Fellowship Hall and removed much of the wall delineating the Fellowship Hall from the main Hallway. The Brown, Brown & Associates team will light the new coffee area so that it presents all the way forward to the main doors. Suggested flooring is polished and stained concrete – which is the most abuse proof and maintenance free floor you can put in a church. New integrated information desk and sign up / information “kiosk” units are permanently housed near the main doors.
In the new design, Fellowship Hall acoustical treatments will allow much better conversation and make a large difference in how well the space allows fellowship. This change will also allow the space to be used for small programs and holiday overflow if needed.
Time line for Brown, Brown & Associates to complete Basic Architectural services is estimated at 4 months.
Church Committee Embraces Design
The review group was enthusiastic about the possibilities for the space. They were excited about the innovative and bold designs, colors and décor; and how as a whole it blended with the existing Church campus yet set the area uniquely apart. A church representative stated, “The coffee area and acoustical treatments provided by Brown, Brown & Associates were stunning. This space serves not only as welcoming, fellowship area for before and after worship, but serves a double duty as well, separating the school and children’s areas from the church, which will be an added and much needed security improvement.”
For more information, visit www.BBA-A.com
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Hardy Brown, architect and partner in the third-generation firm said, “The old Fellowship Hall was under used, yet it is essentially the hub of the church – the first space a visitor likely sees and a key in turning visitors into members. As we began the project, we saw that it was a leftover hole in the Church campus complex, serving in a perpetual ‘garage-sale’ type role, storing bags of donated items. The difficulty we immediately bumped into was working a unique new design into the existing rigid décor system of red carpet and white column colonial. To break out of just making the space ‘nicer’ as opposed to a relaxing and inviting social and fellowship area, we challenged ourselves at every decision point to pick the more exciting rather than the safer path. We feel that in this day and age of coffee-culture consciousness, churches would be wise to offer a legitimate ‘place’ (like you would find in a coffee house) with a challenging, distinct aesthetic that still works with the whole – while establishing itself as a desired destination and a place people want to be.”
The design into a “coffee house” atmosphere is based on the argument by some church specialists that the fellowship space is the most important space in a church and that the 20 minutes after the service are the most important time. This is because the success of that time largely determines whether the church becomes merely a performance or a family of believers.
To that end, Brown, Brown & Associates – Architects maximized the impact of the coffee area as it is a familiar, cultural issue to help people feel at home and welcome.
The design concept opened up 2 current class rooms south of the Church’s Fellowship Hall and removed much of the wall delineating the Fellowship Hall from the main Hallway. The Brown, Brown & Associates team will light the new coffee area so that it presents all the way forward to the main doors. Suggested flooring is polished and stained concrete – which is the most abuse proof and maintenance free floor you can put in a church. New integrated information desk and sign up / information “kiosk” units are permanently housed near the main doors.
In the new design, Fellowship Hall acoustical treatments will allow much better conversation and make a large difference in how well the space allows fellowship. This change will also allow the space to be used for small programs and holiday overflow if needed.
Time line for Brown, Brown & Associates to complete Basic Architectural services is estimated at 4 months.
Church Committee Embraces Design
The review group was enthusiastic about the possibilities for the space. They were excited about the innovative and bold designs, colors and décor; and how as a whole it blended with the existing Church campus yet set the area uniquely apart. A church representative stated, “The coffee area and acoustical treatments provided by Brown, Brown & Associates were stunning. This space serves not only as welcoming, fellowship area for before and after worship, but serves a double duty as well, separating the school and children’s areas from the church, which will be an added and much needed security improvement.”
For more information, visit www.BBA-A.com
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Contact
Brown Brown and Associates
Hardy Brown
972.235.8379
www.bba-a.com
Hardy Brown
972.235.8379
www.bba-a.com
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