Yorba Linda Friends Church

An Open-Air Pavilion Transforms a Church

LPA’s renovation of the Friends Church created an open-air “front door” for the evangelical congregation, a space where members can hang out and engage with each other before or after services. Working within the church’s budget and the local code restrictions, the pavilion added about 6,000 square feet to the existing 110,400-square-foot church, including additional space for events. A small coffee bar on the third floor was reimagined as Awaken, a new coffee shop near the entrance.

The pavilion space features folding glass doors and sloping windows fixed in an open position to maximize the flow of fresh air and allow the entrance to be secured after hours or reconfigured as a completely open space during the day. The ceiling brings in warm wood tones and has large fans to keep the air circulating. A giant video wall with speakers is integrated into the space to broadcast services and activities.

The design also fulfills the church’s vision for an iconic feature that would draw people to the facility. The design response was a 70-foot-tall, illuminated cross supported by a cast-in-place concrete monumental wall just outside the new entry. The cross anchors and grounds the new entry pavilion. A thin line of LED lighting along the edge of the cross illuminates it at night.