With a youth group numbering between 200 and 300 students and growing, the staff of the West Park Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee expressed a need for a “home” for the youth ministry. This would accomplish some important goals: First, the students would have a single area that could be their own, enabling the large group to be easily supervised, providing greater safety. Second, the ministers could have their offices and support spaces together, helping to improve the staff efficiency ministering to students. Lastly, it was of utmost importance to have a single space where all of the youth could gather for worship and fellowship; a unique space designed for their particular worship expressions and styles.

The building program presented many design challenges. Fellowship, worship, offices, food service and the ubiquitous mechanical systems all had to be accommodated. The combination of the many programmed uses created building code issues to be overcome during the design process. As with many church buildings, the wise use of money was of deep concern. The architects, contractors and church staff spent many hours in meetings and in design charettes to integrate all of the needs and wants with the code requirements within monetary limitations.

The result is an exciting building the whole of which far exceeds the sum of its parts. The most dramatic exterior element is the sloping, cantilevered canopy over an outdoor stage. West Park offers many activities for the surrounding neighborhoods and the outdoor stage provides the perfect focus for those events, as well as drawing attention to the building from the street.

Along the front and sides is a covered walkway which serves to connect two parts of the campus as well as reduce the scale of the building.

The 11,700-square-foot building is divided roughly in half. The first half is called “The Hub” and includes indoor recreation, cafe, offices and toilets, and also functions as the main entrance. A dramatic 18-foot-high north-facing glass wall along the rear allows the space to flow to an outside fellowship area without incurring glare inside. This room also acts as a small assembly room with separate sound and video systems. A meandering, multi-color radius wall provides spatial interest and visually subdivides the room. Behind the radius wall are the offices and support spaces for the cafe.

The second half contains the worship center, designed specifically for the youth with state-of-the-art video and media capability, two rear-projection screens, sound system and theatrical lighting.

Seating consists of movable chairs and fixed restaurant-style booths, allowing the room to also be used for small-group activities. A 50- by 20-foot platform provides room for live bands, drama, and the worship leaders, and the rear wall of the platform can be opened directly to the outdoor stage.

Through careful planning, creative architecture and good construction management, the facility was completed within budget and on time. It is highly praised by the students, staff and parents who use it a number of times a week.

MANUFACTURERS/SUPPLIERS
DIV 04: Brick: Triangle Brick.
DIV 07: Metal Roofing: PAC-CLAD® Snap-Clad™ Panels.
DIV 08: Aluminum Curtainwall, Entrances & Storefronts: YKK AP America; Exterior Metal Doors & Frames: Curries; Interior Wood Doors: Marshfield; Hardware: Sargent, Pemko, Rockwood.
DIV 13: Pre-Engineered Building: VP Buildings.