Manvers Street Baptist Church, Bath

Manvers Street Baptist Church in Bath is located along a dominant pedestrian route from the city train station. The church wishes to improve its street presence to create more open and inviting entrance portals.

SR Architects were engaged to provide design and branding concepts for the main entrance to this listed building and adjoining entrances to the church’s community services.

A more transparent entrance was proposed for the vestibule doors to allow views into the sanctuary helping draw the attention of passers by as well as illuminating the vestibule with natural light improving the transition from the busy street into the peaceful and bright sanctuary.

Entrances to the community services are set back with a small paved courtyard detaching them from the street. The design sought to erect a canopy projecting to the building line to cover the central area of the courtyard but not to attach to the listed building or the adjacent office buildings. Molded into the framework of this canopy is a well considered and ordered signage system. It is seen as a distinctive feature with the dual purpose of providing a base for signage and a cover to a multi-purpose area bringing greater options and flexibility to the use of the space.