Joyful Church

For its new facility, Joyful Church envisioned a design that expressed a strong symbolic Christian message, while using traditional Korean symbols in a fusion of architecture, faith and culture. The church is home to growing, vibrant worship and education programs on Sundays and many social welfare ministries during the week. Beck’s design team created a new facility that integrates into the surrounding wooded hillside landscape with gently flowing lines that wrap around a large central plaza. The new facility includes a 2,700-seat sanctuary, 800-seat chapel, cafeteria, cafe, library, fitness facilities, children’s and youth spaces, welfare ministry facilities and a 350-car underground parking garage. Forms and patterns in the architecture were inspired by traditional Korean crafts and calligraphy, creating a unique expression of faith and culture. Placement of the buildings into the natural hillsides and careful orientation of the windows allow ample natural light into the spaces while providing greater energy efficiency.