Northwest Church came to Merrick Lentz Architect with a tired, well past-its-prime old fitness center and a radical, forward-looking vision for their new church home. Their desire was to create a facility that would engage and serve the many and varied needs of their surrounding community while providing a sophisticated, welcoming home for their church family. The result is a facility that embraces the communities it serves, with gathering and connection spaces located  throughout. The large lobby provides a welcoming community space that encourages connection and engagement, while accommodating many different activities, large and small. Immediately adjacent and connected by large doors is an extensive covered outdoor room, encouraging multi-season outdoor community use. The large assembly room with multi level seating and exceptional acoustics offers a unique worship experience for the church family, while providing a space for very large community events and recreation activities such as basketball and volleyball. A large meeting room is used regularly by community and civic groups and multiple spaces provide "drop-in" workplaces for those with mobile office capabilities. MLA worked with Puget Sound Christian Clinic to design and realize a first class Dental Clinic to serve the area's low-income population together with their new offices within the Community Life Center.