As part of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), Desperation Church is a life-giving church with campuses located in Cullman, Jasper, Hayden, and Arab, Alabama. Their first campus, an estimated 16,000 SF, is located in downtown Cullman and opened its doors in September of 2010. Several years later, with up to 5 services per Sunday, it became evident the space no longer met its growing needs. In late 2019, Desperation Church acquired the Cullman Civic Center providing 30,000 SF of space for its Cullman congregation to worship together under one roof.

TURNERBATSON was hired to design the addition and renovations to the building in partnership with StoryLabs for interior design. The Civic Center auditorium was transformed into an 800-person modern worship space with stadium seating, state-of-the-art sound and acoustic systems, and a 26-foot video wall. The new design adds a 2,000 SF community space on the front of the building and a 5,000 SF children’s wing to the west side of the building.

The openness of the new space embodies the “welcome home” atmosphere of Desperation Church. It is the central hub to the campus and offers direct access to the worship space, the children’s wing and playground, the administrative suite, a full-service café, and the Desperation Church Connect classroom. The space is unrestricted and light-filled with tall glass windows surrounding an informal seating area.

The renovations and additions feature an urban industrial aesthetic. Industrial materials such as steel, glass, and metal panels are embraced by a contrasting black, grey, and white color scheme. Reclaimed wood, new branding, and digital displays give life to the industrial background.