With a worship service rivaling the best concerts of today, and a preaching style that uses all of the tools of the age (blue screens, computers and videos), The Crossing sought to create an auditorium that captured their unique style of devotion — a space that could relate to their audience in a way that was familiar, relevant, and modern. With this in mind, rather than look to European cathedrals of the past for inspiration, Laidlaw Schultz architects looked to the contemporary place of gathering: the concert venue. Locating the building on the outside corner of the site, a change from the church’s original master plan, helped the building to act as anchor, billboard, and icon; and transformed the existing courtyard into a true gathering space. The addition of a sunken amphitheater, open balconies, and operable glass walls, further enlivened the campus while expanding the feeling of the church itself. The interior plan uses a wrap-around balcony, staggered floors and a stage to complete the concert feeling of the theater — a worship space that reflects today.
