Building beyond the 1980s

Life Church needed to expand its existing 17,000-square-foot first-phase two-level church building – originally built in the 1980s – to provide the largest possible facilities on the existing 4.2-acre site and at the same time maintain adequate parking for the new facility. Williston zoning ordinances fortunately allowed for significant impervious site coverage with minimum property setback requirements.

A welcoming worship space full of possibilities

Working with Lead Pastor Chris Walstad and the building committee, we designed a 33,700-square-foot single-level addition that wrapped around the east end of the existing structure and created a unified facility that includes a 660-seat contemporary main worship space and stage.

The state-of-the-art AVL systems that allow for a wide variety of functions and events including praise gatherings, concerts, dramas, banquets and seminars.

Along with a sizeable thrust stage, it has a relatively shallow proscenium backstage that allows for production sets and change of backdrops for seasonal and special events.

Illuminated by natural light

The change in ceiling heights, materials and structural shapes allows for a wide variety of spaces to be formed and used individually and collectively within the larger overall space.

Natural light is introduced through both ground-level windows on different sides of the space and overhead clerestory windows.

The lobby offers almost 6,000 square feet of multifaceted space designed for major meetings and events and both large and small gatherings, including a meeting space for before and after services.

A portion of the space is designed as a café with an adjacent serving area.

Kid-friendly and youth-affirming

The complex also includes a 2,000-square-foot indoor children’s play area, an early childhood suite, K-5 classrooms with separate secured access and an internal corridor system, and a separate youth auditorium.

The existing building was completely renovated to house a separate children’s church auditorium, additional classrooms, a youth lounge area and church administrative offices.

Project scope

The building exterior finishes are a combination of brick and block masonry, metal and glass.  The site is completely developed with a full concrete parking lot, drives and a required storm water retention system.

The project was built in western North Dakota, in what is referred to as the “Bakken Bubble,” during the later stages of an oil boom economy that put stiff pressure on building costs during that time.

The total cost for the addition and renovation of the existing building was $9.6 million. The total area of the new and existing construction is 50,700 square feet.