The Sanctuary
Client:
Life Church
Location:
Tanawa, QLD
After outgrowing their existing worship space, the Life Church marked a significant expansion with the introduction of their new space, The Sanctuary.
What we did
Tonkin was engaged to provide civil and structural design services for the new site in Tanawha, south-east Queensland.
Our multidisciplinary team provided structural design of the new building, as well as civil infrastructure design including parking, for up to 260 vehicles, access and drainage.
At the heart of The Sanctuary is a thoughtfully designed worship auditorium, purpose-built to accommodate up to 800 guests. This space serves as the central hub for Life Church’s weekly services, events, and community gatherings, reflecting the church’s commitment to community and spiritual growth.
Surrounding the auditorium are a range of integrated facilities including a fully equipped boardroom, offices, reception and foyer space, a children’s wing to support the church’s Life Kids program, as well as a modern gym and parent’s room.
The 5.6 hectare site also has 267 parking spaces and newly designed access routes.
How we made a difference
Tonkin’s locally based Sunshine Coast team, ensured that we could easily navigate challenges and draw upon local knowledge to overcome any issues. Our proximity to The Sanctuary site allowed us to work collaboratively with Life Church, architects and project stakeholders, to create a thoughtfully designed worship space that’s grounded in the unique character of the Sunshine Coast region.
Because of the unique conditions of the project site, Tonkin developed a site-specific erosion and sediment control plan tailored to the surrounding environment. The plan ensure that all erosion and sediment risks are effectively managed, supporting environmental compliance and will protect surrounding ecosystems throughout the building phase.
Innovations
As part of the forward-thinking design, Tonkin conducted a comprehensive review of site-wide accessibility to enhance the experience for all church users. This included a creative layout strategy for car parking and site circulation, ensuring seamless movement for all vehicles and pedestrians. The proactive design mitigates potential circulation challenges, such as congestion and queuing. All parking spaces and access zones have been precisely optimised, ensuring not only compliance, but also site efficiency, safety and accessibility across the new Sanctuary site.
In line with the church’s commitment to creating a future-ready and inclusive environment Tonkin implemented strategic upgrades to a 230m stretch of Tourist Drive, adjacent to the site. These upgrades were designed to elevate safety, efficiency and connectivity for the broader community.
What we achieved
The all-new worship space held their first official service at The Sanctuary on Sunday 3rd August 2025.
The Sanctuary has been carefully designed to balance functionality with natural beauty, blending into the natural surrounds of Tanawha. This development represents significant growth for Life Church, and is suited to meet the needs of the growing church for years to come.
The first service at The Sanctuary
