VISIONEERING: The Strategic Master Plan

34+ years working to help the church leaders in our community plan for their VISION. Planning and answering their questions about their facility's needs and potential is what churches really need. Real solutions for real issues tailored specifically for your church's unique set of concerns.

The way our team of professionals help churches find solid solutions incorporates interaction with your mission team or building committee by leading them through a process to develop their VISION or Strategic Master Plan. A Strategic Master Plan is a detailed building analysis and conceptual site design with estimated costs that can be implemented in phases over time as the church continues to grow. Some typical steps in the VISIONEERING process to develop the Plan include:

1. Assess existing resources and limitations - current facilities, land, municipal zoning constraints, building code impacts, financial position.
   

   
   
   
2. Compare your church's vision and mission - determining if the churches goals are in sync with the facility's ability - physically and financially.
3. Analyze your church's growth trends, programs and age distribution - this can determine how to properly prepare. You wouldn't want to build four new classrooms if it is expected that eight will be needed.
4. Identify unique opportunities and potential threats that can be expressed in a Master Plan.
5. Develop a comprehensive phased building program which includes renovation areas as well as new construction. Each space should reference square footages and occupancy capabilities.
6. Provide design options to consider that include site planning including parking, utility studies, circulation needs, worship programs, exterior and interior architectural ideas as well as furniture needs.
   

   
   
   
7. Develop consensus on a final plan with leaders and stakeholders
8. Map out an implementation process and time frame
9. Provide marketing renderings and plans to be utilized in Capital Raising Campaigns.
10. Coordinate municipality approval processes for both civil and building permit requirements. Some locations require zoning review with often need to be voted on by city council. This could take a lengthy period to obtain approval.
11. Identify and help retain needed consultants (i.e., local engineers, acoustical audio-video-lighting, etc.) Our team handles all of these contractual relationships.
12. Contract Administration implemented (selecting local general contractors, schedules, phases, etc.)

Not every church requires all these steps to develop a Master Plan. However, they should certainly review each and ask themselves whether there might be an issue. Being a good steward of your blessings means you never leave any stone unturned......or question unanswered. The result of your VISIONEERING process is that your important questions are answered and you will have a well thought out plan which can be implemented in order to provide for your growth within realistic financial constraints.

Don't trust your family to the inexperienced or those that have little invested in your passion. Allow us to be the good STEWARDS of your VISION. 

WHHA + Ionic DeZign Studios
www.WHHAdezigns.com
www.ionicdezigns.com
 

Church Interior Design and Architecture

Interior Design for your Church

 

 

Exterior rendering for proposed elevation

Our interior designers and liturgical designers work with churches exclusively and are sensitive to all styles of worship. WHHA + Ionic DeZign Studios also offers Liturgical Interior Design as well as Church Decorating Services that focus on providing worship flexibility.

interior rendering - renovation

 

• Over 34 years experience in liturgical design
• Worship and Fellowship redesigns for flexibility
• Historical restorations
• High quality furnishings procurement
• Expansion and renovations
• 3D renderings and master planning

WHHA + Ionic DeZign Studios will bring in our architects and interior designers who will create sketches and drawings for review and approval by your building committee. After approval, our team will prepare a materials board which will coordinate colors and designs selected for the decorating of your church used during construction. We would prepare a comprehensive proposal. A detailed scope relating to the anticipated work would accompany the proposal. After contract award we would procure all materials and then schedule to contract the actual work in a condensed timeframe that would disrupt church services as little as possible.

completed fellowship hall

Contact us to assist in your project.

WHHA + Ionic Dezign Studio

Virginia Beach & Richmond offices

www.WHHAdezigns.com or www.ionicdezigns.com for full description of our services.

IMAGINATIVE MINDS WANTED!

 

IONIC is a rapidly-growing Virginia Beach-based architecture and interiors firm. We pride ourselves in giving employees the opportunity to take their careers in the direction of their dreams. We’re looking for creative people with initiative to work in our one of our offices (Virginia Beach or Richmond). We work on a variety of project types including retail spaces, restaurants, hospitality facilities, corporate offices, mixed-use and commercial buildings, financial institutions, municipality projects and religious architecture.

We are looking for applicants to fill the role of Junior Architect/Designer. This position will help with new construction and renovation projects.  Junior Architect/Designers responding must be capable of working on multiple projects in various phases simultaneously. Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD for production of construction documents. 3D Max or other rendering software skills are helpful. Must work well with others for team collaboration. Please send your current resume and references to info@ionicdezigns.com

 

Problem Solving - Don't stick your head in the sand

Have you ever had one of those days wherever you turn you are faced with problems?

Areas you thought were 100% under control turned out to be in chaos? The world begins to spin and you cannot seem to grasp back onto solid ground?

Yeah....me too.

It can be normal everyday issues or even work related. Whatever comes up you need to not stick your head in the sand but rather resolve the issues. I know easier said than done. I have this often. I want to run away. I call it my hermit-idous......I'd rather be a hermit.

As a diabetic I've often been faced with imaginary issues that seem much more grand than they are in reality. Don't tell my brain that......it thinks they are real. Blood sugar controls so many things one of them being your emotions. You certainly could call it depression..... I'd rather call it emotional delusion. I know that it is just a chemical imbalance and I should try and work myself out of it. 

So how do you do that? Well I've gone through this enough times that I have learned a few lessons.

Lesson learned: 

1) Suck it up and walk it off.

Ok so that is harsh but I tend to be a bit tough on myself and really don't want to drown in my sorrows. I feel that the best medicine is to get up and keep moving. After all nobody ever drown by falling into water......they drowned by staying there.

2) There is no time for me to be off of my game. 

Have you ever went on vacation and then came back to a pile of work? Isn't it crazy how much builds up even over a short time. So think about that when you get overwhelmed and want to retreat. More than likely you are a person that is in need. Staff, Family, Friends.....try to stay on your game. Many people rely upon you but more importantly you rely upon yourself. Take a breath and get back in the game.

3) I realize that I need to more analytical and lesson emotional in my dealings.

Science! It will solve anything. Okay maybe not exactly. Try to flip the switch and pretend it is someone else's problems and you are asked to solve them. Would you jump up and down and freak out? Probably wouldn't help that individual much. Try to put it in the right perspective. There is some issue that needs to be addressed. Whether it is work related or any other issue look at it as a regular problem solving task. 

4) Write the issues down.

Whether they are real or imaginary....it doesn't matter. In your head they are real....or real enough to make you worry about them. Then after each one.....write a solution. Don't worry about how practical the solution is.....just write it down. It will start your brain thinking about various possibilities to resolve the issues. Sometimes by writing them down it will bring a bit of reality to the situation and you will realize that it wasn't that big of a deal after all. Sometimes FEAR freezes us and makes us IMMOBILE to any action.

5) Reengage.

Once you've gone through these tasks don't keep hibernating. Get out there and keep doing what you do. Re-engage with others and interact so that your brain gets back on track.

Diabetes is a real struggle as well as depression. Don't let it get out of hand. If you see yourself slipping further than don't be afraid to get some help. Sometimes just chatting with a friend can get you through some tough issues.

Even though it is so tempting.....try not to stick your head in the sand and hide. Work through the issues and be strong. 

Eugene Thompson
Ionic DeZign Studios
President + Founder