Architecture

Builder Architect Collaboration

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Unrivaled Experience

Industry Leaders in Church & Christian School Design

With more than 1,100 faith-based projects across 41 U.S. States and 3 foreign countries, BGW Architects offers an unmatched level of expertise in church design as well as broad experience with Christian schools and colleges. As a firm that has worked exclusively with this clientele since 1998, we have an intimate understanding of the changing needs of ministry organizations and a proven record of success with a wide range of projects, from small remodels and additions to commercial building conversions and large ground-up construction projects.

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Cornerstone San church building

Stoneridge gym church building

River of Life Third Place church building

Innovative Design

Churches

Places of worship are being rethought in exciting and unexpected ways. Church design is no longer just about a building for Sunday morning worship gatherings. It’s about crafting spaces that serve not only your congregation, but your broader community in a more holistic way – 7 days a week. Whether it’s through adaptable and flexible architecture, cutting-edge technology, community-centered lobbies, or financially sustainable models, today’s design innovations reflect a deeper understanding of what sacred space can be in a rapidly changing world. By embracing this change, churches are not only enhancing their own ministry efforts but also offering vital community infrastructure that resonates far beyond worship services. READ MORE

Christian Schools

Over the past two decades, K-12 Christian school facility design and construction have undergone significant transformations, reflecting broader shifts in educational philosophy, technological advancements, and societal expectations. The emphasis has increasingly shifted from traditional, utilitarian structures to dynamic, student-centered environments designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and well-being. To learn more about recent shifts & trends that BGW is seeing in the design of K-12 private school facilities, click here to read our blog post.

Stewardship Driven.

We believe that reducing the cost of construction begins at the earliest stages of preliminary design. By aligning with like-minded contractors that share our vision and our philosophy towards stewardship, we are able to keep costs in check from the beginning and continually seek opportunities for additional savings and value engineering as the design progresses.

Accounting-meeting

Counting the Costs

Prior to beginning a preliminary design, BGW assists ministries in clarifying their total funding capacity. Our goal is to ensure that the end result of this conceptual design process is a solution that the ministry can actually afford to build. Through our partners at Cornerstone Funding Consultants, BGW clients are provided with an independent review of their financial statements, giving history and overall ability to service new debt. This offers the owner, architect and contractor a solid foundation for good stewardship as they launch into design solutions for the new facility.

Fixed Fees

Unlike most church architects that charge percentage-based fees, our fees are fixed for each stage of the project based on the square footage of the building. In our experience, percentage-based fees often provide incentive to expand the scope of the project and can lead to over-priced plans that do not fit within the ministry budget. By fixing the architectural fees, the church architect is inspired to make decisions from the start that can reduce the cost of construction.

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Pre-Construction Stewardship architecture

Pre-Construction Stewardship

Unlike standard design and construction approaches in which the architectural plans are completed and then sent out to contractors for bid, BGW engages in a unique process to explore the plans at a much deeper level with the subcontractors prior to receiving their final bid. Through a series of meetings that we call Pre-Construction Stewardship (PCS), our goal is to break the pattern of conflict and communication breakdown that is normal in the construction industry between contractors and architects by asking the subcontractors to take our drawings, review them, and then come back to discuss them in individual sessions.

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In addition to value engineering ideas from subcontractors about more efficient and cost-effective ways to accomplish the work, this process allows the BGW team to make the necessary changes to the construction documents that can clear up any confusion in the plan set, which can significantly reduce or eliminate change orders. PCS also incorporates a survey exercise that helps to identify construction industry relationships that the ministry might have in the local community that can lead to additional value added to the project in reduced mark-up or gifting of materials or labor.

BGW 5-Phase Process

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Phase1-1 church building

phase-1-icon church architect

Preliminary Design

Phase-2-1 church building

phase-2-icon church architect

Project Positioning

Phase-3-1 church building

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Construction Documents

Phase-4-1 church building

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Permitting & Pre-Construction

Phase-5-1 church building

Construction Administration

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Completed Designs

Does your Church or Christian school have a vision for expansion or remodel?

Contact us today to learn how BGW can help!

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