BBA Architects

Brazos Fellowship Worship Addition

College Station, Texas

Programmatic Requirements

In its six years of existence, this young church has outgrown the temporary home in an elementary school, and now its existing 300-seat worship space. By multiusing its space and offering multiple services, attendance has grown to requiring more space. Fortunately the building and site, which was developed originally as a movie theater, did have enough existing parking space to support a larger worship space. This allowed for 90% of the cost of expansion to be spent on the building rather than sitework. The straightforward, budget-minded addition will provide more room to accommodate worship and social interaction in its new 800-seat worship center and expanded lobby. Emphasis is placed on providing a smooth transition from parking lot to building entries and easy to understand wayfinding once inside for new visitor orientation.

Design Solutions

Emphasis is placed on the three different parts of the building: the existing building, with single color painted concrete panels, new lobby with patterned metal veneer and inviting entries, and the painted, patterned concrete walls of the new worship space. The exterior metal panels used on the lobby with angled entry columns reach out to the parking area and accentuate it as the focal point, contrasting with the painted concrete walls of the existing building and the modern interpretation of stained glass patterning applied to the concrete walls of the new worship space. Clean lines, bold colors and layering of existing and new spaces will provide a fresh, inviting environment for current attendees and those looking for a church home.