Seats of learning

For centuries, wooden pews were the only option for church seating – anything else didn’t ‘feel’ like a church. The United States was following the architectural traditions of immigrant ancestors, starting with the Pilgrims of the 1600s – wooden pews represented tradition, strength and stability. Early Puritan preachers delivering fire-and-brimstone sermons were not concerned about their congregation’s earthly comforts.

 Since the worship space is central to the mission of a church, its seating needs should be a prime consideration, however, and today’s options are broader and more welcoming that those of the Pilgrims. That said, it is only in recent years that padded ‘theatre-style’ chairs have begun to appear – largely as a result of churches taking up not only the audiovisual capabilities of performing arts centres, but also their furnishings. ‘People are not put off by theatre seats in church like they might have been even a decade ago,’ says architect Bill Chegwidden, AIA, president of CDH Partners in Atlanta. His firm presently sees an approximate 50-50 split between pews and theatre seats in the church projects it handles. In fact, he reports some churches having both styles of seating – theatre in the main worship area and wooden pews or chairs in the chapel or more intimate space, giving those smaller areas a more traditional feel. Rather than regional or denominational variations, Mr Chegwidden believes the differences are mostly philosophical, with the seating decision made fairly early in the design process.

Architect Butch Wolfe, AIA, IIDA, and principal with MNB Architects in Memphis, also recommends that a church selects seating that best accommodates its style of worship: ‘If people move around often, such as processing up to the altar for confession or communion, I believe pews promote a better, more organised traffic flow,’ he explains. Other practical considerations impacting the choice of worship-area seating include configurability, capacity and cost.

Because of their linear nature, pews do not offer as many flexible layout options as theatre seats. The semi-circular or tight-radiused arrangements possible with theatre seats help create more intimacy and sense of community than pews. While pews and theatre seats offer comparable sightlines, theatre seats can be offset from row to row so nobody is sitting directly in front of anyone else.

It’s not uncommon for churches to use a mixture of theatre seating and pews, often installing pews in the back few rows. This decision has both aesthetic and practical benefits. ‘Some churches want to minimise the visual sensation that you’re walking into a sea of theatre seats,’ observes Mr Chegwidden. Pews can provide a more traditional look around the edge of the worship area, while also accommodating larger people who may not sit comfortably in a theatre seat.

Electricity and electronics are also impacting seating decisions. Mr Wolfe sees more church projects calling for aisle or directional lighting to help people navigate in low-light conditions; theatre seats are usually better equipped than pews to accommodate this feature. The growing use of audiovisual projection in worship areas means that hymnals or other books are not used, so the book holder commonly piggy-backed behind or beneath a pew is unnecessary.

Cost and capacity

Although it may be counterintuitive, theatre seats offer greater seating capacity than pews for a given floor area. The main reason for this is row-width requirements – many countries’ fire codes specify the width between seating rows and how many aisles are necessary to ensure a safe and timely evacuation if necessary. Theatre seats, with a spring-loaded seat pan that automatically folds up, create more inter-row space than fixed wooden pews. As a result, rows of theatre seats can be closer together than pews and fewer aisles are required.

With pews, it’s also difficult to ensure each ‘seat’ is occupied. People may not sit close to each other, someone may place a Bible or purse next to them, or a tired child may stretch out and occupy several places. With theatre seating, however, you know with certainty that 2,000 chairs will actually hold 2,000 people.

To evaluate seating options, be sure to involve a cross-section of your church’s membership so the final decision best suits everyone. Mr Wolfe recalls one church project where the tall, long-legged minister singlehandedly selected the pew size. He chose a deep-seated pew that was comfortable for him, without realising that his selection meant many short people and children could not lean back if they wanted their legs to touch the floor. Along with considerations of comfort, the depth of the pew will impact the room’s overall capacity.

For cost comparisons, Mr Chegwidden’s rule of thumb says theatre seats cost two-and-a-half times more than wooden pews. With any such major purchase, long-term factors such as durability and maintenance should be considered along with the initial price. ‘In seating, like most things, you get what you pay for,’ he advises, pointing out that pew construction and quality vary widely. Pews with upholstered seats and backs are cheaper than solid hardwood, but they often lack the resilience necessary to withstand years of heavy use. Upholstery may conceal particleboard or MDF, which has a tendency to bend, flex and deteriorate much more quickly than solid hardwood. Upholstery also doesn’t age as gracefully as hardwood.

Theatre seat upholstery is also susceptible to damage, but it’s easier to replace a single seat bottom or back if one gets ruined. ‘With theatre seats, we always order an extra dozen backs and bottoms with the same fabric,’ Mr Chegwidden explains. ‘This makes maintenance a little easier.’

On a per-seat basis, pews typically cost US$100 to US$175 to install; each theatre seat can cost up to US$300 to $400. If you choose theatre seats, ensure the true value of your investment by requesting a sample chair and inspecting it thoroughly. Listen carefully as different people try out the seat. How loud or quiet is the seat-return mechanism? Remember that the slightest chair noise will be multiplied – and amplified – in a large, open worship area.

US manufacturers should subject their theatre seats to independent testing following standards established by the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA). These tests measure a seat’s strength and stability, while ensuring they can withstand heavy, repeated use. If the manufacturer doesn’t offer this test data, ask for it.

While seating for the main worship area is a primary focus, multi-use spaces also have specialised seating requirements that should be considered. Comfortable chairs will offer the greatest flexibility, because their use will easily stretch to multiple events. ‘Metal folding chairs quickly become uncomfortable, particular for older people,’ says Mr Wolfe, who recommends churches select chairs with firm cushions and a comfortable seat pan and back. Poorly designed, ill-fitting chairs can inhibit blood circulation to the legs.

In temporary or interim worship spaces, portable audience chairs can offer the padded comfort of permanent theatre seating with the added benefit of flexibility and portability. Designed for flat floors, they can be permanently installed later if necessary. High-density, deluxe folding chairs offer more affordable comfort when budgets are limited. These chairs, often used in arenas for floor-level concert seating, also require significantly less storage space.

Where a church facility includes rooms that serve double duty – such as music rehearsal and religious education or conferences – it is also worth considering the flexibility and support of specialised music posture chairs with tablet arms. For any temporary, flexible seating, Mr Wolfe advises that fire codes usually require chairs to gang together because this provides more stability and safety in the event of an evacuation.

While the seating decisions your church makes will not have eternal consequences, they will certainly have important, long-term implications in the areas of comfort, flexibility and wise stewardship of resources. To ensure the best results, be sure to judge all seating options carefully.

www.wengercorp.com/worship

Published in Worship AVL Asia Spring 2010