Abstract
Most of the dual‐purpose buildings built by the Incorporated Church Building Society in the 19th century were mission buildings. In the 20th century, many consecrated churches were constructed as dual‐purpose buildings. Installing a stage for secular use became common. However, reserving at least one‐third of the total floor to be used exclusively for worship was recommended. In addition, several floor plans emerged that allowed the worship floor to be extended but not vice versa. A wider range of floor plan variations was found that explicitly identified worship as the primary use.
The Incorporated Church Building Society, established in 1818, was initially unable to subsidize secular-use buildings from the general fund. However, in 1858, it established the mission building fund and began to construct hamlet chapels, school churches, mission halls, and mission rooms. In the early years, there were some examples of dual-purpose buildings without a strict distinction between sacred and secular spaces, but a type of building with a church on the upper floor and secular rooms on the lower floor emerged. However, the distinction between sacred and secular spaces was insufficient, and a stage for secular use had not yet emerged.