Evolve Church

Focusing on Community Purpose

HGA collaborated with Evolve to convert a former furniture store into the church’s new space. This organization goes well beyond just Sunday services. Their focus on community purpose led them to include gathering and counseling spaces for kids, teens, and young professionals. The initial program included a large sanctuary and open space for the community to gather. The project scope was expanded when Evolve realized they wanted to commit to building a children’s wing with three large classrooms, dance studio and an indoor play area, and again when the coffee station grew into an incubator. This new large coffee shop serves as a training tool for job creation.

This scope expansion was part of a new programming process focused on outreach and exposure. In addition to traditional church programs like bible study, services and youth programs, the church leadership wanted to include afterschool open play sessions, music concerts, and financial seminars in partnership with local branches of banks. Their first seminar attracted 700 people to learn about the home buying process for first-time buyers.

The design features cost effective building products used in creative ways. The ACT ceiling clouds are angled to moderate the offset nature of the floor plan. Light fixtures at the main area serve to form a cross that draws you to the center where the entrance to the sanctuary is located. Throughout, the finishes reference both Evolve’s branded colors, but also a herringbone pattern that is visible in the carpet, the ceiling and the large wood panels. The wood panels, visible at the entries to the main building and the sanctuary are custom routered MDF panels that provide texture in a cost effective manner. The existing concrete floor was polished and stained in a pattern to reinforce the ceiling design and accentuate the path to the sanctuary. The overall aesthetic is warm and welcoming, but also clean and elegant. Garage doors are leveraged in numerous locations to allow for flexibility of spaces. The project included a significant structural intervention to remove two columns that would have impeded views to the stage.