Engaging Spaces
Entry&
Wayfinding By Allison Parrott with Paul Lodholz, AIA, LEED AP
Visiting a church for the first time can be quite daunting. Often, long-time church members take for granted that visitors “just know” which areas to park in, where the easiest entrance is located, and how to navigate the church campus. But, for a first-time visitor, a church campus without clear wayfinding elements can be difficult to navigate — and make it less likely they’ll return. Imagine it’s your first visit to your church, and try to navigate the campus. • What do you see when you first drive up? Is the vehicular entrance clearly marked and easy to find? • How do you know where to park? Is the correct entry easily visible? • Once you’re inside the church, where do you go? Is it clear where the sanctuary is located? What about classrooms? The nursery? For many church leaders, this can be a difficult exercise. To make it easier, there are several common items that can be addressed simply. Driving in Sometimes, entering the campus parking lot can be difficult. Here, large, easy-to-read signage which denotes entrances and exits — as well as building locations — is essential. Also think about how your building physically indicates (or doesn’t) where the main entrance is located and how this relates to the visual a visitor has as he or she enters the parking lot. Consider traffic flow, as well. Some churches find it necessary to hire a traffic consultant to analyze their parking lot flow and make recommendations on restriping. This can speed up drop-off and parking times and also makes the entire lot easier to navigate and more intuitive for visitors. Walking in Once a visitor has found a parking spot, it’s imperative that the walking path to the front entrance be clear and safe. Many churches we work with have older entrances that are highly visible from the street, but not easily accessible from the parking lot. Over time, as church members stopped walking to church and began driving, these original entrances become less and less used by regular attendees. 40
CHURCH EXECUTIVE • November / December 2015
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