After outgrowing their existing worship space with an ever-expanding congregation, Life Baptist Church engaged IZ design studio to provide architectural and interior design for their new Sanctuary building. This 13,500 square foot structure was sited adjacent to the existing building to allow for ample parking while creating an outdoor courtyard between the two.
Architecturally, the new Sanctuary was designed to be compatible with the original building while taking a bolder approach aligned with the church’s modern worship practices. A dramatic metal clad canopy supported by wood columns creates a covered walkway, breaks up the façade, and frames the main entrance. The building houses a 733 seat worship space complete with a stage, lighting, and state of the art audio/visual and sound systems. Acoustics within the worship space was a priority. To achieve the desired sound quality without sacrificing the feeling of openness, the IZ team used suspended acoustical clouds within the open structure. Doubling as a community use space, the new Sanctuary also includes a social hub with coffee bar, offices, and storage.