for counselling individuals and couples or sometimes small groups or families,
and for some staff meetings. They may also, if required, serve as
reconciliation rooms. A narrow sidelight beside the door, or a port in the door
itself is required.
The ambience of these facilities needs to be humane, gracious and
hospitable. This is not easy in office spaces, but is particularly important
in chaplains' offices. Here the typical "business-like" quality of a
commercial administrative office is to be avoided. A more domestic quality is
supported by the necessity of generous bookshelving; comfortable upholstered
seating, carpet or rug and draperies. Such things as fluorescent troffers,
gridded acoustic ceilings and bulky desks should be avoided.
6.
SPACE FOR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
a.
The Social Hall. The focus of social activity is a space where food
and drink are served, and where informal programs of many kinds may be held.
This room should be accessible from the concourse' or, in very large
facilities, from a prominent secondary foyer. It should be possible for people
to move easily between the major assembly space and the social hall. In most
climates it is proper that the social hall open onto an accessible and usable
outdoor court, patio, lanai or garden.
The room is radically adaptable and multifunctional. An inevitable
function is that of a teaching place and its size will most likely require
that it be used by more than one class. Planning must consider several
factors. The room must be acoustically very dry, which implies carpet on
padding, an acoustical ceiling and sound absorption on vertical surfaces as
well. Tables should facilitate small classes. Rolling partitions incorporating
blackboards and other teaching aids should be easily moved from storage. If
children are taught in these rooms they should be old enough to use full sized
chairs.
Food service may range from stand-up receptions to sit-down meals. Round
folding tables should be planned, partly because they enhance conversation,
partly because they are easily moved.
A variety of assemblies will require facilities for slide and movie
projections and wiring for sound. It must be possible to feed sound into this
space from the main worship space, and a closed circuit television system
should be considered.
An alternate to the electronic connection between this room and the major
worship space is a scheme in which the two rooms are contiguous and so related
that, if the partition between them, is movable.
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