Lakewood Church is actually a converted sports arena—the Compaq Center, once home to the Houston Rockets. The modified exterior (at right) raises an important issue: The desire of congregations to make their place of worship a part of everyday life rather than a place apart is admirable, and one can sympathize with the wish to avoid the traditional ecclesiastical symbols that have been pretty much co-opted by mainstream religions. But having turned their backs on tradition, megachurches need to find appropriate architectural alternatives. Just putting up a sign and a fountain is not enough. The overbearing and clumsy exterior of Lakewood Church, designed by Morris Architects of Houston, demonstrates the peril of downplaying architectural design, especially in a building as large and imposing as this one.