Like so many churches, the congregation of Lifepoint Church was desperate to break away from meeting in a rented assembly space and eager to establish a home of their own. This bilingual congregation was able to secure a large tract of land south of Austin with plenty of room to expand as the congregation grew; however, site development costs absorbed half of their construction funds, leaving a mere fraction of what the congregation had hoped to spend on the building. After seeing the design I provided for Stonebridge Church while an architect at Overland Partners, Lifepoint had hope for their first phase facility.

In order to reduce cost, the design uses the economy of pre-engineered steel for the large-span worship space and conventional wood framing for the lobby and restrooms. To break down the massing and cost effectively create an appealing entry façade, the “stone box” amenity building is placed in front of the larger “metal box” of the worship center. Both are connected by a thin trellis that provides an abundance of shaded outdoor fellowship space. Using “gift-in-kind” donations with design and construction management creativity, the church has a very attractive first phase facility.

DETAILS

Location Austin, Texas

Project Type Religious / Assembly

Completed 2009

Size 6,320 SF

Client Lifepoint Church