Spring, Texas 
Photography: Paul Hester, Celeste Ponce

The client approached the office with a series of design constraints for their 10,000 square foot prefabricated temporary sanctuary. The constraints consisted of a small budget of $60/sq.ft, the inherent parameters given by the building manufacturer, and the challenge to redefine sacred space without any natural light. The pastor asked us to eliminate any preconceived notions of church architecture and, instead, create a black box suitable to accommodate his illustrated sermons


The design was to make the most impact within the constraints, while establishing individuality for this new and innovative church.

The result was an undulating roof that serves as an identity marker for the church. The roof drew the attention the church was seeking, while harmonizing with its immediate surroundings. The trees found on the site were used to penetrate through the roof, and the oscillating roof connected you to the movement found on the adjacent interstate. 

By reducing the form to its most essential prefabricated parts, such as windowless facades, roof slope, material and structural constraints, a clutter/clad free design is established. The reduction of its parts frees the design from a complex form, allowing it to be defined in many different ways. Instead, the form is the sum of its (constrained) parts and begins to address the new meaning of worship and sacredness.