Church interior aesthetics : the effects of interior aesthetics, within a worship environment, on the attendance of an 18 to 25 age population.

Abstract

Protestant churches are experiencing a decline in attendance in young adults aged 18 to 25, showing little interest in attending services yet the spiritual interests among them are high. Historically, cultural shifts have necessitated change to church facilities such as spatial arrangement, technologies and interior aesthetics. Some churches however, have chosen not to make these changes to its interior design style. The purpose of this study examines the effects of the interior aesthetics within a worship environment on the attendance of the 18 to 25 age population. Using grounded theory, pretest-posttest survey results conclude that participants (N=13) prefer more contemporary interiors including darker lighting, religious symbolism, close spatial arrangement that encourages community, and the creative uses of architectural elements.