Moderator: Welcome Vance! Please give the audience a little on your background.

Vance Breshears: Do you want the long or the short version?

Moderator: Give it all!

Vance: Well, as far as it relates to the design work I'm doing now, I've been a consultant for about 11 years. Prior to forming Sound Technology Consultants, I was with Acoustic Dimensions and The Joiner-Rose Group. Before that, I worked in various aspects of the industry including video production, recording studio, a planetarium, and an AV contractor.

Tim: In general what types of facilities are churches needing and building these days?

Vance: Churches are building all kinds of facilities. Things range from multipurpose rooms (or the “gymatorium”), worship centers, production facilities, themed food service venues…just about everything you can think of.

Vance (continued): The interesting thing is that with respect to worship centers, many churches are wanting a room that "looks like a church but functions like a theater". Also, more churches are including pretty comprehensive production facilities to offer video and audio recording control rooms and things of this nature.

Bmb: Is the “fan shape” the best design?

Vance: It depends on what the room is going to be used for. Many architects like the fan shape because it brings people close to the preaching location. But it's a poor shape for acoustic purposes - both for worship (congregational singing) and for music (reinforced or acoustic). There are many inherent problems with a fan shaped room, but there are things you can do to make it not a complete disaster.

Bmb: Such as?

Vance: First is that the room seating can be sloped or stepped, not only front to back, but from center to sides. This makes sightlines better, as well as making the room acoustics better by introducing vertical surfaces into the middle of the room. It makes the room smaller in acoustical terms.

Vance (continued): You can also do some fun stuff with the ceiling - anything to break up the room into more diffuse surfaces and make the room more intimate. We want to stay away from big walls that are far away. Does that answer the question?

David Distler: In a wide fan-shaped sanctuary, how much can the ceiling be influential in providing useful reflections for the congregational singing?