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Writer's pictureSteve Baker PhD AIA

Designing Multi-Generational Church Spaces: A Design That Connects Generations

A church is unlike any other structure. It’s not just designed to cater to a target age group, serve the community’s needs until the owner closes it down, or otherwise have a temporary and limited place in the community. 


It’s a multi-generational cultural center that serves everyone. From the youngest child building their relationship with God, to the oldest elder studying scripture and exemplifying righteous behaviors. It’s meant to stand for lifetimes, and many different people will spend their time in the church together. 


However, with each generation, there are different needs and expectations to ensure that the church experience is effective for all who congregate within it. 


Today, we’re going to discuss the importance of multi-generational church space design.


Let’s get started. 


A Focus on God and Tradition


First and foremost, the highest priority of any church design is to design a church that brings glory to God and honors the deeply rooted traditions of the church. Not only are none of the other factors we’ll discuss more important than this, but it’s also the core of creating a multi-generational church space design, too. 


Nothing connects people like God. That’s true regardless of generation, background, or any other factor. 


Similarly, tradition is the literal connection of generations in a worldly sense. It’s the older generation passing down a way of life to the next, and to the next, and the next to create a long lineage of connected generations.

Multi-generational church space design - focus on God and tradition.

As such, it’s a major part of creating a church that brings multiple generations together at once. 


You’ll see this core design philosophy of every aspect of the church. From the beauty and luxury of the naive to the symbology depicted in even the smallest, most obscure, details.


Creating a Warm and Inviting Environment 


Everyone, regardless of generation, wants to be comfortable and welcomed when they come to worship, and this is another key aspect of multi-generational church space design. 


While spaces are open in the naive, the environment is designed to create a sense of togetherness and closeness. A sense of calm is maintained with carefully chosen lighting placements and color choices throughout the entirety of the church’s interior. 


These are things that everyone expects during their church experience, and at least for the primary gathering room, they are exemplified in every design aspect while keeping God first


Facilitating a Younger Audience


It’s often mistaken that younger audiences can’t stay focused or aren’t interested in church activities, but it’s the exact opposite. 


Once a relationship is formed, the church can be a second home to children. The key to engaging this younger audience is to cater to their needs just as much as we cater to traditional themes and design aspects. 


For example, many churches will have separate worship groups for children that take place after the primary sermon that everyone takes part in, or children might go their way for more youth-oriented activities entirely to both maximize their learning potential and prevent distractions for the older generation. 


The environments these children are brought to should still have the core principles of putting God first and using symbolic imagery, but many other design aspects will cater more toward an energetic and fun environment suitable for children. 


This isn’t just a factor for small children, either. 


A multi-generational church will also be able to facilitate teens who are capable of participating in mass appropriately, but they still have age-appropriate activities separate from the rest of the church. 


The environments that facilitate these teen get-togethers and youth groups are typically more designed to engage them at their level. They’ll be designed around a more relaxed atmosphere while still catering to a less mature audience.


Incorporating tech features, such as advanced audio systems, is essential in designing spaces where teens can fully engage with the technology they use. These tools help facilitate both learning and worship, making the environment more interactive and relevant to their needs.


Additionally, creating dedicated areas for teen-appropriate activities is crucial. While these spaces offer more mature experiences than child-friendly zones, the focus on fun and connection remains a priority, ensuring the environment is both engaging and age-appropriate.


Even Parking and Basic Commodities Must Be Considered


When talking about a multi-generational church design, it’s easy to focus purely on the worship and gathering areas and how they accommodate various age groups. However, even the necessities need to be considered. 


For the average older congregation member, simply driving a standard vehicle to church for each gathering. However, the younger generation has taken a different approach for years. Especially with teens and young adults. 


Something as simple as a parking lot should be able to accommodate bikes, e-bikes, scooters, and waiting for public transportation, as these have all become popular with the younger generation.


Especially in population centers where the need for a vehicle has diminished somewhat. This is on top of accommodating the more traditional means typically used by older church members. 


Not Forgetting the Needs of the Elderly


As we all age, we tend to stop being as mobile as we once were, and for a church to truly be multi-generational, the design has to include the means for older, less mobile, members to participate in full. 

Multi-generational church space design - focus on the needs of the elderly.

This can be something as simple as installing wheelchair ramps, or it can be as complicated as renovating the entire interior for accessibility without changing any of the church’s core design principles. This often also includes designing key parts of the church around an experience that serves everyone effectively via audio equipment, on-screen follow-along imagery, and similar advancements that help with degraded hearing and sight. 


Building the Church to Last


Finally, while the primary point of serving multiple generations is to bring everyone to God, there’s also a need to ensure generation after generation continues to join the congregation.


For that to happen, the church has to be built with a sense of timelessness and structural integrity. 


Every feature, from unseen structural work to ornate facades and decorative pieces, must be built to last throughout the generations it will serve


Let Baker Architects Help You Design a Church that Transcends Generations


At Baker Architects, we utilize the latest technology such as lidar scanning to ensure you can see design plans in real time.


Our church designers take a comprehensive approach to realizing your vision while offering expert insight, and we’re experienced with the unique needs of the church. 


To design a multi-generational church space, consult with Baker Architects today.

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