The Sylvan Hills campus in Sherwood has a rich heritage to Christianity in Central Arkansas. It was the first home of Central Arkansas Christian schools "CAC" which began on September 13th, 1971. Over time CAC outgrew this location and the facility remained in the care of Sylvan Hills Church of Christ. We were charged with re-envisioning three buildings on their campus; the church lobby, the nursery building and the worship center. All buildings had a heavy, dark and dated atmosphere and were all at different elevations making the transition between them more difficult.
The new design traded the heavy appearance for a much lighter, brighter approach. The glass wall in the lobby becomes a display case for "the church" which is its members. The church becomes the signage. Traffic along Maryland Avenue views directly into the space creating a welcoming free-flowing atmosphere. The light-filled lobby is now on the same level as the worship center and connected with a sliding wall of glass. A simple white oak cross adorns the exterior of the worship center. The cross was built from the wood of a tree removed from the site during the parking lot expansion.
The worship center was re-oriented from a long deep space into a radial layout by moving the location of the stage. As the primary focal point, this stage becomes a space in and of itself. A curving white oak wall behind the stage also becomes the ceiling as it follows the geometry of the exposed glue-lam structure.
A peripheral focal point at the end of the worship center is the baptistery. This textured, light filled tube receives natural light from skylights above which makes the space breath and beacons the parishioners to get closer. Baptism is a holy public profession of faith. It is also a symbolic act of dying to oneself as they are submerged in the water and born again as they rise up "resurrect" to live a new life in Christ. Opposite and on axis with the Baptistery is a simple wooden cross a symbol of death. As many know, the cross is an iconic symbol in Christianity as well as a literal representation of a crucifix. So on one side of the church we have death and the other side we have resurrection life. In the middle is the stage, the altar, in which the pastor preaches and teaches the truth of these two realities.
Learn more about this special church by visiting www.shcofc.org.