A former suburban Chicago shopping mall is repurposed as a church with strong community ties and an interior that promotes both thoughtful solitude and congregation. Also, we won an award.

THE CLIENT/SPACE

In December of 1997, Living Word Christian Center assumed the mall space as the new church home for their then 5,000 member congregation. The church has been updated over the years to reflect the changing needs of its ministry and now 20,000 strong multi-cultural membership. The facility includes large sanctuaries for worship, many meeting and events rooms, ample office space used for its various ministries such as Children and Youth Ministry, Faith Ministries Alliance, Volunteer Service Center, Outreach, Prayer Ministry, and School of Ministry. In many ways, the church in its current configuration barely resembles the retail center that once occupied it. The one exception to this was the continued existence of pedestrian mall planters and seating in what was once “center court” and is now considered their atrium.

OUR PURPOSE

Living Word is a client of long-standing, and they have always been clear in their expectations of our performance and product. The work that we do for them is meant to enhance their space and help the organization deliver the Word of God to its congregation. We knew that creating an eye-catching design with plants and moss would soften the space. Live plants used include blooming plant/Bromeliad rotations, Ficus decora tineke, Rhapis excelsa, and Aglaonema Silverado. Artificial plants featured in the installation include Rhapis excelsa, Aglaonema, and Dracaena compacta bush. The artificial plants were selected for the areas that receive less natural light. Another goal of the project was to provide quiet spaces of beautiful reflection, while also allowing for the more social nature of the large space.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR THE PROJECT

Finally, our installation was intended to exist in harmony with a sculpture called Flowing Blessings, which is attached to the second-floor ceiling of the building’s atrium. We translated the three-dimensional fluidity of the sculpture into the gently curving tendrils of different colored moss, taking further inspiration from the client’s signage describing the ceiling sculpture.

Flowing Blessings sculpture portrays the importance of having gratitude for the abundance of Kingdom blessings God provides. Metal wave elements represent the gifts of God, arriving in irregular waves that build up as they get closer, suggesting an unlimited supply of blessings from heaven. The concept reminds us to expect by faith God’s supernatural supply and strategies. It’s a visual metaphor for the idea that when we are thankful and desire to bless others, we will receive miraculous experiences and opportunities flowing into our own lives.

Bonnie Rubinstein Studio – River Falls, WI

HOW IT STARTED 

Though colorful, lush, and beautifully maintained by our company for many years, the aesthetic continued to read 1980’s shopping mall, center court planter. We recently came across an old photo of the space from its mall days, and it was funny to see that a TJMaxx once stood immediately behind the Sansevieria on the second level! The plantscape didn’t provide inspiration or a spiritual lift to congregants, team members, or visitors. There was a lack of nearby individual seating for quiet and solitary personal reflection or reading.

We love it when a client comes to us, and says “We want to do something different.” Our response is always, “We can do different.” Our company is well-known in our area for the beautiful, often intricate, and occasionally monumentally-sized moss walls we produce. We were fortunate to start working with moss fairly early in the moss wall movement, which has allowed us to refine our artistry and technique over the years. When a client wants something different, we are prepared to think outside the box and come up with something that will wow them. Jean, our GM, and our Designers Shannon and Jan, thought “What if we laid a moss wall on its back and fitted it into a planter?” Our contact at the church loved our presentation, and the very next day church carpenters had started updating and retrofitting the existing planters based off our proposal.

HOW IT’S GOING

HOW WE GOT THERE

With the construction work on the space completed, it was our turn to install our portion of the renovation. One of our favorite compliments from clients is “We hardly knew you were there!” We pride ourselves on working quickly and quietly, causing as little disruption as possible to the client. We clean as we go, allowing a safe space for us to work as well as clear spaces for passersby to use when the job requires us to take over a thoroughfare. Our trucks are thoughtfully packed and unloaded. We develop a plan in advance, and every team member knows their role (though we are always willing to jump in and help one another when we encounter the unexpected).

The design of the moss installation was carefully drawn onto a plywood platform, and the moss immaculately seated in a “paint by numbers” approach by two of our most senior moss application experts.

COMPLEMENTING THE SPACE

The movement of the newly installed sculpture, Flowing Blessings, plays off the fluidity of the horizontally installed moss art. Pieces of landscape glass surrounding the built-in, backlit by LED lighting, enhance the installation without distracting from or competing with it. The glass also provides a bright and uplifting respite from the previous use of pea gravel. Small permanent seating allows for peaceful areas of solitude. Those who wish to enjoy the space in a more social way can do so from comfortable vignette style seating that surrounds the perimeter. Texture and movement are at play among the living and artificial plants and the preserved moss pieces.

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES

We know that pieces in busy, family-oriented places like church atriums are going to attract little hands, particularly when they are as low to the ground as this piece. Understanding the value of tactile experience for people of all ages, we have placed discreet signage to educate people about the preserved moss wall. We refresh the sample pieces of preserved moss on the sign as needed, and thus far we have not observed any damage to the integrity of the installation itself.

Maintenance on the 17′ x 8′ horizontal moss piece is similar to other preserved moss pieces. Since the space is so large, there is a lot of air movement and HVAC vents that blow hot or cold air, so we check it more frequently to ensure it keeps its shape and does not dry out.

The live plants receive routine maintenance from the designated Horticulture Technician, and the high-quality artificial plants are regularly cleaned to keep them looking their best for years to come.

ROLL THE TAPE

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM MEMBERS WHO SUPPORTED THIS PROJECT

Shannon (Project Manager/Designer), Jan (Designer), Adam (Installation), Lauren (Installation), Sue (Specialty Moss and Artificial Plant Installation), Sarah (Specialty Moss and Artificial Plant Installation), Ernie (Account Manager), Baldo (Installation), and Andy (Installation)

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR VENDORS FOR THIS PROJECT 

Chicago Foliage Inc, Autograph Foliages, SecondFlor, American Specialty Glass, Inc.