First United Methodist Church of Dallas

First United Methodist Church in downtown Dallas has actively served the City of Dallas for a century, and the neo-Gothic facility stands as a gateway to the Dallas Arts District. Originally constructed in 1926, the historic building at Ross and Harwood had been added to and renovated numerous times in the Church’s history, with varying degrees of sensitivity. Since 2007 GFF has collaborated with the church on multiple projects, beginning with a building assessment, feasibility study and master plan for future growth and expansion.

The initial phase was a large new gathering space in the original courtyard (previously filled in with a two-story classroom/office addition during the 1960’s) which creates a new “heart” for the Church complex. The light-filled atrium ties together the different buildings, links together mis-aligned floor levels, simplifies flow and communication throughout the Church, and provides a point of orientation for visitors moving through the space on multiple levels. For special events the atrium can seat 250 people at community tables. Modern detailing provides a foil for the historic structure, and new skylights wash the revealed and restored brick with daylight, returning natural illumination to the original stained-glass windows of the sanctuary.

More recent GFF projects focused on maximizing the efficiency of the original education wing and restoring the historic beauty that had been covered up by a 1950s renovation. Comprised of 46,000 square feet over four levels, the space was large but outdated and inefficiently used. Renovations included improvements to the Developmental Learning Center on the main floor, reimagined the interior layout of the children’s and youth ministry spaces on the second and third floor to make them more functional and efficient, and transformed the third-floor gym into a more usable multi-purpose room with audio/video capabilities for dinners, events, and alternative worship while still supporting recreation functions.  The gym floor and ceiling were restored to their original condition. Church staff offices were relocated from a neighboring building to the ground floor of the education wing.

Care was taken to honor the past while adding modern efficiencies. New interior door frames, sidelights, and transoms were designed with wood trim to match the profiles of the original structure. Existing exterior windows that had been blocked were restored to their original condition. The design embraces high ceilings and natural light, and reveals itself as a contemporary intervention in a historic structure.

GFF’s projects at FUMC Dallas have been recognized in the Faith & Form International Awards Program for Religious Architecture & Art and The Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art, and Architecture (IFRAA), and a Preservation Achievement Award from Preservation Dallas.