All Saints Catholic Church - Hampstead, NOrth carolina
Completed AVL integration for the new 800-seat sanctuary at All Saints Catholic Church featuring professional audio, concealed projection, streaming, networking, and Q-SYS control systems.
Project Details
New Construction
Versatile Design
Intentional Execution
Project Overview
All Saints Catholic Church recently completed a major sanctuary expansion project, adding a new 800-seat worship space to their existing parish campus and more than doubling their previous seating capacity. The project required a careful balance between modern AVL technology and the timeless architectural character expected within a Catholic worship environment.
20-20 was selected to provide the audio, video, networking, streaming, and control system design and integration for the new sanctuary and supporting spaces. The objective was to create a refined listening and viewing experience while ensuring the technology itself remained visually unobtrusive within the sacred architectural environment.
Project Objective
The primary goal of the project was to deliver exceptional speech intelligibility, seamless system control, and a refined worship experience without allowing technology to dominate the visual design of the sanctuary.
A major challenge carried over from the previous worship space was speech clarity. Due to the Monsignor’s strong dialect and the acoustically active nature of the room, parishioners previously struggled with intelligibility during services. Solving this issue became one of the most important priorities of the project.
The system also needed to support modern ministry workflows including streaming, overflow distribution, and centralized control, while remaining simple and reliable for staff and volunteers to operate.
Design and Implementation
Architectural Integration of Technology
Because the architectural design of the sanctuary was critically important, every technology decision was approached with intentional restraint. The AVL systems were designed to visually disappear into the space rather than compete with it.
While many modern worship facilities have moved away from projection systems, projection proved to be the ideal solution for this environment. Recessed projection screens were integrated into the ceiling architecture, allowing the visual systems to remain completely hidden when not in use. This preserved the traditional aesthetic of the sanctuary while still providing a high-quality viewing experience during services and events.
Audio Design for Maximum Intelligibility
One of the largest technical challenges was achieving excellent intelligibility in a highly reverberant worship environment. Catholic sanctuaries often feature reflective architectural finishes and long reverberation times, making clear speech reproduction particularly difficult.
The audio system was carefully designed to maximize vocal clarity and maintain consistent coverage throughout the sanctuary. Special attention was given to speech intelligibility, ensuring that sermons, readings, and spoken portions of the liturgy could be understood clearly from every seat in the room.
The final result dramatically improved clarity compared to the previous sanctuary and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both leadership and parishioners.
Centralized Q-SYS Control Platform
A fully integrated Q-SYS control system was implemented to unify operation across the sanctuary and accessory spaces. The system provides centralized management of audio, video, streaming, and room control functions through a streamlined and user-friendly interface.
This approach simplified daily operation for church staff and volunteers while also providing the flexibility and scalability required for future expansion and evolving ministry needs.
Streaming, Video, and Network Infrastructure
In addition to the sanctuary systems, the project included networking infrastructure, streaming capabilities, and video distribution throughout supporting spaces. The system was designed to provide reliable operation for both in-person worship and online audiences while maintaining a clean and unobtrusive installation throughout the facility.
Results and Impact
Dramatically Improved Speech Clarity
The most significant outcome of the project was the dramatic improvement in speech intelligibility throughout the sanctuary. Parishioners can now clearly understand spoken content during services, solving one of the most persistent challenges experienced in the previous worship space.
Technology That Enhances Rather Than Distracts
The integration strategy successfully preserved the architectural integrity of the sanctuary while still delivering a modern, high-performance AVL experience. By concealing projection screens, minimizing visible technology throughout the room, and executing a clean and professional installation, the systems support the worship environment without distracting from it. Every element was intentionally integrated to maintain the visual focus on the architecture and liturgical experience rather than the technology itself.
Simplified Operation and Long-Term Flexibility
The centralized Q-SYS platform provides church staff with intuitive control over the facility while positioning the church for future growth and system expansion. The infrastructure was designed not only for current ministry needs, but also for long-term adaptability.
Conclusion
The sanctuary expansion at All Saints Catholic Church demonstrates how thoughtful AVL design can enhance worship without compromising architecture or tradition. By prioritizing intelligibility, concealment of technology, and operational simplicity, the project delivered a modern worship environment that feels both technologically advanced and architecturally timeless.
The result is a sanctuary that provides parishioners with a significantly improved listening and viewing experience while preserving the sacred atmosphere that defines the Catholic worship tradition.
