Ridgepoint Church Addition and Renovation

Ridgepoint Church’s addition and renovation, is designed to seamlessly blend form and function.

Our architectural approach emphasizes practicality and adaptability, ensuring that the beautiful space caters to a variety of needs.

In 2007, First Mennonite Brethren Church was bursting at the seams and engaged WDM to design an 800-seat Worship Center addition. The addition met their needs for a larger auditorium and granted the church a stronger visual presence along the City’s main artery of West 21^st.

In 2018 church leadership once again entrusted WDM the next phase of their growing campus. With the goal to better connect with the next generation, the plan was to create a new Kids Wing, add a new student center, add a new gym, and completely renovate nearly every area in the church. The main Worship Center and lobby were the only spaces left untouched.

Before these recent additions, the church also had previous building expansion projects before 2007. Since they were pieced together over time, these various portions of the building were fairly disjointed and confusing for guests. WDM took those concerns and created a much more seamless space into a single design that allowed for much smoother traffic flow.

As the massive project was nearing construction in 2019, church leaders also made the decision to change the name and completely rebrand themselves with the new name Ridgepoint Church.  New signage and environmental graphics were then designed by Little Mountain to communicate the brand throughout the new spaces. WDM interior designers collaborated with Little Mountain and Ridgepoint leadership to rework finish selections to harmonize with their new brand image. The results are a beautiful harmony of fresh colors and energetic textures against a backdrop of contemporary grays.

Student Wing Renovation and Addition

The Point is a space designed especially for the church’s students (6th grade to college age). The renovated layout and large addition were carefully planned to accommodate both structured and informal ministry. WDM interior designers infused a contemporary vibe throughout, while including practical elements such as durable carpet tiles that ensure both practicality and adaptability. Although The Point is mainly designed for youth, it is also flexible enough to serve as a conference center or young adult education space.

Auditorium

The Point’s Auditorium is a newly constructed addition styled as a black box theater with a wide, elevated stage, seating for up to 219. The space is purposefully without windows to better control the lighting and mood of the space with an environmental projection system. The exposed ceiling structure is painted a dark gray. The backstage area has large doors for equipment movement and ample storage.

The typical “Axis” service for high school students starts as a large gathering in the Auditorium for announcements, a meal, worship, and interactive games, followed by non-structured hang-out time usually in small groups of 6 to 8 students throughout the wing.

Lounge and Rec Room

The Lounge and Rec Room are designed for students to connect and relax with trendy high-top tables and comfortable booths under an open ceiling. Students can play ping pong and foosball, and order food and drinks from The Hub. Flexibility was a key consideration in designing the space, allowing for future growth and the adaptation of the area for various other functions.

Gaming Room

The Gaming Room is adjacent to the Lounge with large glass walls that visually connect gamers to the teens in the area. The room is furnished with couches and workstations for gaming. Just down the hall, dedicated classrooms provide soft seating for focused learning.

Little Mountain embraced a vibrant and playful design theme for the Kids’ Wing that resonates with children.

Bright colors and thematic elements help make the space truly kid-friendly. One key design feature is the raised stage that serves as a backdrop for screens and presentations. This stage is movable for added flexibility, allowing The Big Room to be easily reconfigured for different activities.

Beyond The Big Room, the classrooms have side lights by the doors to enhance visibility and safety. Classrooms accommodate 15 kids each (based on grade level), fostering a balance between individual attention and social interaction. Carpet tiles ensure comfort, with Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) around sinks for durability.

Playground and Entry 3

WDM helped church leaders find a playground design that fit the church’s personality and budget. This fun and dynamic play area for Ridgepoint’s kids can only be accessed from the secure kids’ area. It is also fenced-in so kids can go from the building to the playground and never leave a fenced area. The playground is designed to have equipment for Pre-K through 5th grade.

Practical elements of the Kids’ Wing include built-in casework, hallway coat hooks, and ample storage space for crafts and supplies. Additionally, the secure Kids’ Wing includes restrooms designed specifically for different age groups with various sink heights. Conveniently located hand washing stations serve both hygienic needs and craft activities.

WDM’s imaginative Kids’ Wing design invites children to explore, learn, and thrive in a thoughtfully crafted space. The layout was designed so kids start at one end of the loop when they enter preschool, and finish at the other end as they finish 5th grade and prepare to move to The Point.

“I am excited to have spaces that are multi-functional and can be adapted to meet the needs of our Sunday and Wednesday kids ministry, along with the events that happen throughout the week,” Cynthia Young, kids ministry director, said. “Families feel more comfortable dropping their children off for events because they can easily get from the Worship Center to the kids or nursery area. The multi-functional spaces allow us to dream about doing different events and activities.”

As part of the overall Nursery, the Infant Room, perfectly sized and designed, can comfortably accommodate up to six babies.

To ensure a serene environment, this room does not face the lobby and includes a convenient hand-washing sink.

Storage facilities have been thoughtfully incorporated to hold snacks, toys, and essentials, available for convenient checkout. Additional amenities include a flex room with its own sink, and a dedicated linen room with shelving for laundry essentials.

In response to valuable feedback, WDM designed a Mom’s Room to be accessible outside the Nursery Check-in, ensuring mothers can have easy access to a dedicated room for diaper changes and feeding without having to fully check in to the nursery. This space has a private area for nursing mothers and a sink for hand washing.

WDM utilized the old hallway to increase square footage to some of the rooms. While the added square footage may not seem like a large number, every square foot mattered since this space is in the middle of the building without room for further expansion. Every inch is utilized!

Commercial Kitchen and Coffee Shop Renovation

In February 2020, WDM and Ridgepoint Church’s design team met with commercial kitchen consultant Tanner Erdman of Pintail Food Service to consider how to renovate the kitchen to best meet the diverse needs of the church with its various events. The overarching goal was to create a versatile and efficient space that could seamlessly accommodate both small gatherings and large-scale events of up to 350 people.

One significant challenge they experienced was congestion in the beverage service area, which led to Erdman’s suggestion of creating a separate drink station. This design alteration streamlines the serving process and reduces traffic within the kitchen. The updated kitchen layout better accommodates the needs of various events, ensuring that the kitchen will serve as a hub of hospitality for the church community for years to come.

Adjacent to the new kitchen, the welcoming Coffee Café has all new finishes. Here, individuals can easily grab a cup of coffee and enjoy unhurried moments of informal gatherings and fellowship. This cozy setting fosters a sense of togetherness and connection.

Along with the Café, additional renovations were made to the Commons area, which serves as the central hub of the church campus. The former church library room was removed to open up space and reduce common traffic flow concerns. This area was only 19 feet wide before, and often led to congestion issues. Now the Commons area is wide and open, with clear signage directing traffic to other locations around the building. New seating was added alongside the Activity Center, which created a completely new gathering place in formerly under-utilized space.

The revitalized Connect Center, formerly known as the Fireside Room, is situated just off the lobby, close to the kitchen.

The room now boasts updated finishes, creating a serene and contemplative haven for both visitors and congregants. This relaxing space offers a welcoming environment for guests to take classes, have private conversations, or request prayer. Before this construction update, the only way to access this room was through the hallway leading to the kitchen, but now, a new hallway was added providing direct and convenient access from the Upper Lobby.

The versatile and generously sized Activity Center has served a wide range of purposes — such as grand banquet dinners, indoor basketball games and community garage sales. With the construction of a full-sized gymnasium, the Activity Center no longer needs to switch between basketball games and formal wedding receptions. The space now has fresh finishes and can accommodate events for up to 600 people.

All offices are now in a centralized location to optimize functionality, and the previously poorly performing HVAC system has been addressed.

The new layout also includes an open area for cubicles and improves the flow from the exterior office entrance to the rest of the church.

Nestled between the Nursery and the Student Wing, the Adult Classrooms are strategically positioned in proximity to the offices. Classrooms vary in size depending on their purpose, from several smaller 24-person classrooms to a larger, 80-person classroom that can be partitioned into smaller rooms. These classrooms have undergone a rejuvenating transformation, featuring contemporary interior finishes that breathe new life into the space.

One standout area is A1, which has undergone a notable change. It has evolved from its previous tiered seating layout to a more versatile single-level setup. This redesign allows for flexible seating arrangements for up to 96 people that can be tailored to accommodate diverse meeting requirements. Whether it’s a collaborative session or a formal presentation, A1 adapts seamlessly to the meeting’s purpose, ensuring a conducive and adaptable environment for productive discussions.