Church of the City Franklin – Office Renovation
Small Project (25,000 sf or less)
Church of the City transformed the underutilized third floor of its education building into a vibrant, light-filled office hub that supports nearly 6,000 congregants each Sunday through its ministries. Floor-to-ceiling windows, clerestory daylighting, and open workspaces foster transparency, collaboration, and connection, while a custom mosaic wall abstracting the pastor’s sermon sound waves embodies the church’s values. The result is a renewed workplace that unites staff, strengthens ministry, and reflects the church’s mission.
Awards Year | 2025
Project Statement
Serving nearly 6,000 people every Sunday, Church of the City has undertaken several projects to support its rapidly growing congregation. Among the most impactful was the full renovation of its third-floor office space, which transformed a dated, compartmentalized environment with little access to daylight into a collaborative workplace reflecting the church’s mission, vision, and values through openness, transparency, and light.
The design challenge centered on reimagining the upper level of an underutilized religious education building into a dynamic, multi-ministerial office hub. While core elements—stair, elevator, and restrooms—were maintained with finish upgrades, the remainder of the floor was completely rebuilt with an emphasis on natural light, flexibility, and interconnectedness.
A new rhythm of floor-to-ceiling windows along both facades defines the exterior and aligns with glass-enclosed perimeter offices. At the heart of the plan, a raised ceiling introduces a clerestory that floods the shared commons with daylight. Open office workstations between these spaces maintain visual transparency and allow views through to the exterior, fostering unity and connection across the staff workplace.
The transformed office now serves as both the central hub of ministry activity and the primary gateway for the church’s multimedia content creation. A defining feature is a custom wall of tile mosaics—an abstraction of the sound waves from the lead pastor’s sermon on the church’s core values. This artistic expression is a reference to Habakkuk 3:2, a prayer asking the Lord to make His powerful presence evident today.
Through this renovation, Church of the City’s workplace has been renewed as a vibrant, light-filled environment that strengthens its ministries and supports its growing community.
Framework for Design Excellence Narrative
**Design for CHANGE**
This project embraces adaptability as a core design principle, ensuring resilience to evolving social, economic, and environmental conditions. Whereas previously, the church’s staff offices were scattered throughout various areas of the existing building, this renovation unifies the staff in one collaborative location. Flexible planning allows the space to accommodate future programmatic shifts and changing patterns of ministry, while open layouts and modular furniture support long-term usability. By reimagining an existing structure rather than replacing it, the design demonstrates the value of adaptive reuse—extending the building’s lifecycle, conserving resources, and reinforcing the church’s commitment to stewardship.
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**Design for WELL-BEING**
The renovation prioritizes the health and well-being of both staff and congregation, creating an environment that is physically, mentally, and emotionally supportive. Abundant natural light, outdoor views, and open collaboration areas foster a sense of connection, energy, and inclusion. Thoughtful material selection reduces environmental hazards while elevating air quality and occupant comfort. Transparent office fronts and shared common spaces cultivate community and openness, while increased acoustic strategies enhance quiet work zones to provide balance for focused tasks. Together, these design strategies encourage healthier lifestyles, promote inclusivity, and create a workspace that nurtures the whole person while strengthening ties to the wider community.
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**Design for INTEGRATION**
At the heart of the project is a unifying design vision: to transform an underutilized education building into a collaborative hub that embodies the mission and values of Church of the City. Integration is achieved through a careful balance of beauty, functionality, and purpose—where architectural moves such as clerestory windows, glass-walled offices, and open commons deliver both practical and experiential benefits. The space engages the senses through light, transparency, and rhythm, reinforcing a sense of belonging and place. By maximizing social impact, extending economic value through reuse, and reducing environmental footprint, the project exemplifies how integrated design can deliver enduring meaning and inspire preservation for generations.
LEED/Green Certifications
Price/sq. ft. if provided
Photo Captions
2 - Renovation Plan
3 - Renovation Section and Transparency
4 - Storyboard Axon
5 - Communal Space
6 - Workstation BEFORE
7 - Open Workstations AFTER
8 - Kitchen
9 - Conference Room
10 - Conference Room BEFORE
11 - Open Communal Space
