Good Shepherd United Methodist Church - Cypress, Texas
Turner Duran Architects, LP
Posted: September 20, 2023 | Projects
Situated against the busy Northwest Freeway outside of Houston, the growing congregation at Good Shepherd UMC took another step in the completion of their long range master plan with the addition of this striking new Worship Center.
Photograph courtesy of G. Lyon Photography, Inc.
The roomy theater-style space seats 1,200 persons, and shares its roof with a new two-story administrative and education wing. The six-story tall glass-enclosed entrance, looming over the entire church complex, commands presence along the freeway, in nearby neighborhoods, and greets congregants and visitors alike to this multi-building campus in a booming part of the metropolitan Houston region.
Among the challenges faced by the design team was the need for visual prominence, and the ability to deal with a site size that had been outgrown by the needs of this church.
The original master plan envisioned the Worship Center in this particular location on the property, but growth needs forced the addition of offices, classrooms, and nursery spaces to the scope of the project. As a result, an auditorium-style worship space was wrapped on two sides by the ancillary spaces. However, this provided the opportunity to go vertical with the structure, and to emphasize the curvilinear shape of the space on the exterior architectural expression. The bright, expansive lobby that sweeps around the building takes its form from the terraced seating configuration that sits above.
The basic structure forms the essence of the architecture. The steel roof structure in the worship space displays a radial pattern, fanning out from a center point to envelop the entire assembly of people, and focus them on the proceedings of the main stage. State-of-the-art audio/visual and sound systems assist in this purpose, and “cloud” panels nestled within the principal structural elements provide an optimal mix of acoustical reflection. The sprawling stage contains space sufficient for preaching, events, choirs, and bands for both traditional and contemporary services.
Access to the entire building is provided by means of the generous arcing lobby stretching the entire building length, featuring full height glass walls through which the new city springing up all around is viewed. A variety of luxury vinyl flooring materials, in an arresting array of shapes and patterns, provides contrast with the coffered ceilings and cast stone wall and column facings.
The soaring entry tower is capped off with copper-coated metal roofing, and also features a copper-coated cross reaching almost four stories in height, highlighted against a vast stretch of curtainwall. Brick masonry complements the existing campus structures, and cast stone completes the exterior composition.
A “partnering” approach was utilized to deliver the project. The general cont ractor was pre-selected in a competitive qualifications and proposal process; and the principal mechanical, electrical, and plumbing subcontractors provided design/build systems, as did the sound and A/V system provider. For convenience and accountability, the construction and FF&E systems were all delivered under a single contract. The result is a stunning addition to the regional cityscape, and a beautiful and functional facility for Christian worship.
Architect
Turner Duran Architects, LP
333 Cypress Run, #350, Houston, TX 77094
Structural Engineer
Pinnacle Structural Engineers
3120 Southwest Freeway, #410, Houston, TX 77098
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer
Graves Mechanical
5910 Schumacher Lane, Houston, TX 77057
General Contractor
Brookstone Corporation
3715 Dacoma Street, Houston, TX 77092
Plumbing Contractor
Regency Plumbing
10408 Mula Road, Staf ford, TX 77477
Location: Cypress, Texas
Date Bid: Jul 2014
Construction Period: Aug 2014 to Nov 2015
Total Square Feet: 41,003
Site: 12 acres.
Number of Buildings: 1; 1029 theater seats, 126 choir seats.
Building Sizes: First floor, 29,460; second floor, 11,543; total, 41,003 square feet.
Building Height: First floor, 14'; second floor, 54'9" total, 68'9".
Basic Construction Type: New/IIB Sprinklered.
Foundation: Cast-in-place.
Exterior Walls: Brick, curtain wall, cast stone.
Roof: Membrane, metal.
Floors: Concrete.
Interior Walls: Metal stud drywall
Click here to view the full cost details for this project in the September/October 2023 issue of DCD