Charlotte's First Baptist Church - The Pier
Charlotte, North Carolina

The Adams Group Architects has been commissioned to develop plans for a new activities center at Charlotte's First Baptist Church. The new activities center has been dubbed 'The Pier', which has multiple meanings for this urban church. The Pier will be a central hub for church related activities as well as reaching out and including the public. The Pier is being designed on a central corner in downtown Charlotte. The Adams Group met with the various ministry groups in a workshop format to gain information and insight into the needs and desires of all of the ministry teams. The ministry teams developed a wish list and then presented their desires to the entire group. The Adams Group then compiled the wishes into a comprehensive program, assigning square footages to each needed area. When the Adams Group presented the consolidated information to the ministry teams; further discussion occurred allowing the program to be refined. The new center will include a large high tech performance area with a seating capacity of up to 500. The center will also include a coffee lounge and cafe, bookstore, games area, kitchen facility, a climbing wall, aerobics area, flexible meeting rooms, full-size basketball court as well as outdoor and roof top seating. The activities center is being designed with flexibility in mind. A variety of activities are planned for the new center including birthday parties, movie showings, conferences and performances. The facility is designed to create a multi generational center where activities for youth to seniors will be accommodated.