Need SPACE Now?
You don't have to sacrifice form or function in a pinch

By RaeAnn Slaybaugh

Churches, it seems, are becoming more adventurous by the minute. Today, many are considering unique but quick and functional alternatives to building--and liking the results. If your church needs more room but can't swing a heavy-duty construction project just yet, this is the perfect time to think "outside the box." As the following churches have found, some of the most interesting options include metal framing, domes, stressed membrane structures and modular buildings.

Testing its metal: Freewill Baptist Church

Freewill Baptist Church's sanctuary frame is that of a metal building. A stucco "apron" and brick exterior conceal these elements.

To the casual observer, Freewill Baptist Church in Norman, Okla., might look like dozens of other beautiful new campuses. Look closer and you still might not be able to detect the difference, but it's there underneath a traditional exterior of brick and stucco. This church chose a metal building framing system and metal roof for its sanctuary and gymnasium, a decidedly different approach to church construction.

Freewill Baptist's sanctuary spans 110 feet and the gymnasium is a two-story 80-foot wide structure supporting classrooms and a playing surface. These units are separated by 20 feet of space but bridged with a metal roof that creates a great hall between them to accommodate future expansion. The roof extends beyond the buildings, creating a drive-thru canopy and covering a small prayer room at the far end of the canopy as well.

A conventional steeple and Galvalume-finished American Standing Seam 360 roof tops this large sanctuary. According to project manager Larry Potter of CMS Willowbrook Construction Co. in Chickasha, Okla., this heavy-duty roof was one of the main reasons the church chose a metal building system in the first place. "It's one of the best roof systems in the industry," he says. "Some I've built have been around for more than thirty years. Most roofs need redoing every seven or eight years, but with this one--unless you get up there and punch a hole in it--there's no reason for anything to go wrong." Though the roof's finish is silver, this proves a non-issue since it is nearly flat with only a slight slope. "You don't see it unless you're in a plane," Potter explains.

One logical concern with a metal roof is noise intrusion, but special adjustments make Freewill Baptist's roof virtually unaffected by natural elements. One foot of R30 insulation was installed; it is so quiet that when it hails, people inside the sanctuary have no idea what is happening outside, Potter says. The same Galvalume roof tops the 80- by 110-foot classroom building whose backside is also made of Galvalume metal painted reflective white. These metal walls will be torn down when the church adds on to its existing buildings, which, Potter says, won't be much longer.

When expansion day comes, Potter says he suspects Freewill Baptist will decide to add more metal-framed buildings. A metal building is engineered to the exact stress imposed on the structure, he explains, which essentially keeps the cost down. "With traditional construction, an engineer might look in his book and say, 'This will take an I-beam that weighs 65 pounds per foot and is 14 inches deep,' " he explains. "That might be what he wants, but when he looks at the tables, he might see that they don't make one like that. So he goes to an 80-pound beam that is 18 inches deep, and then there's some steel there that isn't really needed." In contrast, pre-engineered buildings use beams fabricated out of plate steel in shops that meet the requirement for the imposed stress--no more, no less. "The beams are a funny shape sometimes, but they meet the requirement," Potter explains. "When you save pounds of steel, you save money."

Although the cost advantages of metal framed buildings might be clear, Potter warns churches to keep an eye on amenities too. While he estimates savings might exceed 15% on large metal-framed projects, this can quickly be eaten up by extras like marble steps and other add-ons.

Bubble rap: St. Agnes Baptist Church's Dome City

Across the country, domes are springing up in the construction of homes, storage facilities at industrial plants, greenhouses and, yes, churches too. One of the most impressive examples of dome church design is St. Agnes Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. This $5 million, 123-acre project includes a five-dome complex with a family life center to accommodate the church's 12,000-member congregation.

After comparing costs with more conventional building methods, the church decided that domes were the logical choice, costing 40% less to construct and up to a 50% less in heating and cooling expenses.

Two new domes grace the already sprawling St. Agnes campus that houses elementary and junior high schools, plus 11 other buildings. The new cathedral and administrative dome will measure 31,000 square feet and seat 4,000. Another 7,800-square foot structure--the Dome of Restoration and Fellowship--will be the site of Sunday School classes.

The construction process is impressive to watch. A dome starts as a concrete ring foundation reinforced with steel rebar. The Airform, fabricated to the right size and shape, is attached to the concrete base. Using fans, the Airform is inflated and the dome's shape is created. About three inches of polyurethane foam insulation is applied to the interior surface of the form and steel reinforcing bars are attached to the foam using special embedded hooks. Rebar is then placed in a specially engineered layout of horizontal hoop and vertical steel rebar. Several inches of Shotcrete--a special concrete mix--is applied to the interior surface of the foam and the dome becomes a steel-reinforced, concrete structure. When finished, these domes are resistant to tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes and cannot be damaged by bugs or burned.

Structurally, churches tend to appreciate domes because they are column-free and facilitate semicircular seating. This means attention can be focused on the lectern, whereas many large churches are square buildings with round seating, explains David B. South, president of the Monolithic Dome Institute. Clear spans in domes allow architects to design without worrying about roof supports, columns or other structural limitations.

The unique construction process of the dome at St. Agnes fostered a great amount of unity among members and the community alike. "It was an event watching those Airforms grow," says coordinator Stephanie Roland. "People came from everywhere to see it, though it was a foggy and chilly November day." Indeed, the unique balloon-like construction process attracted not only congregation members but the local press, who still occasionally report on its progress.

The instant campus: Saddleback's stressed membrane structures

One of the most familiar names in the church world is purpose-driven Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, Calif., whose growth was accommodated with numerous stressed membrane structures. The facilities were ordered from Sprung Instant Structures in West Jordan, Utah, and though it has been a few years, they still stand on the Saddleback campus, playing host to multitudes of campus ministries.

The stressed membrane structure is a familiar sight in environmental and public works facilities (mainly for sand and salt storage) and even on emergency disaster relief sites because of its durability and ease of setup.

Since the structures can span up to 160 feet wide, churches get in on the game in times of space crises in the church. This is because about 2,000 square feet of space can be assembled in an eight-hour day with six volunteers and the supervision of a Sprung technical consultant. Plus, according to Karen Kelly, Saddleback director of facilities, the high ceilings were ideal for a worship environment.

The construction process begins by raising aluminum beams and stretching the membrane vertically and horizontally over the frame. An interior liner is applied and frame openings are included for air conditioning and heating units. Optional additions include drywall, electric wiring, lighting, sprinkler and security systems, and ADA-compliant entrances and exits. Windows, ventilators, skylights, insulation and protective hoods that act as vestibules over doors are also available. The membrane itself is UV-inhibited and comes in a variety of colors.