We are pleased to announce the beginning of construction with First Baptist Orlando to renovate their children’s ministry facility. Our partners at H.J. High Construction began work this month, with a grand opening expected in winter 2020.
Downtown Orlando has a large and diverse population, as well as a constant flood of tourists passing through. With this project, the church hopes to create an inclusive environment for all, so they can welcome more children, more friends and more families into their community. The church’s leadership, as well as a special building committee, helped us assess specific programming needs and extant issues so that we could improve the kids’ space and reimagine a safe, fun, age-appropriate and relevant environment.
This design-build project includes an 85,491-sq ft renovation across two separate buildings that will completely transform 75 classrooms. Our team also designed a new, 8,505-sq ft atrium to connect the two buildings and create one unified children ministry space. Although the shell of the buildings will still be there, once the church’s young members step inside, they will immediately feel that this space was created especially for them. The new design includes worship and teaching environments with age-appropriate areas where children can have shared experiences in large gatherings, but also feel more comfortable connecting in smaller groups.
Our biggest design challenge has been to fulfill the desired programming while including adequate security, so parents are confident knowing their kids are safe in the new children’s department. We specifically designed all the circulation spaces and suite layouts to safely manage foot traffic, as well as monitor and control access to the kids’ rooms.
Overall, this children-focused project will create an environment that promotes the message of the church and inspires a curiosity in their faith journey. We were thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive response from the congregation. When our drawings, renderings and animations were presented to the congregation, the church immediately got on board and began to raise the necessary funds.
Childhood is the most influential period to explore the faith journey. With this project, our focus is to provide First Baptist Orlando with an engaging space that makes the children want to come back week after week. We believe that when this facility opens, it will create a warm, fun and lasting experience for their children’s ministry. With more points of connection, the new space can continue to involve the entire family and build a stronger community.
Project: Children’s Environment
Client: First Baptist Orlando
Location: Orlando, FL
Project Size: New Construction – 8,505 sq ft; Renovation – 85,491 sq ft
