GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND SCHOOL MASTER PLAN

Dallas, Texas

MARCH 2003

The goal of the Master Plan is to provide a structure for the future development and growth of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and School. Within this structure, the Church and the School shall coexist within the bounds of the existing property constraints.

To structure the layout of the Master Plan the new Chapel shall be sited at the physical center of the school layout. The existing chapel is currently located roughly in this same position. The existing chapel faces west - the traditional orientation - and the new chapel shall face west. However, because of the existing growth of the school over the last ten years, the center of the campus, and therefore the position of the new Chapel, has to be repositioned.

The Chapel as the center of the school has many practical and philosophical advantages. The Chapel should be the center of a Christ centered curriculum. The Chapel shall be set within a stable courtyard similar to the Renaissance Design of Bramante's Tempietto (left top). The Chapel shall have space in front of it for School and Church events while the courtyard design provides security for the children.

On axis with the front of the chapel shall be the main entrance to the school. This is proposed to be a transparent, glassy structure which allows motorists along Midway Road to see through this entrance structure to the Chapel. Please see the model photo to the left. To the north of this glass entrance structure are the after school program classrooms. Adjacent to them is the Pre-Kindergarten classrooms. To the south of the glassy entrance structure are administrative offices. Closing the courtyard between the Lower School classrooms and the Middle School classroom will be the new library. This location is centralized for both the upper and lower schools and provides secure, easy and controlled access.

The Cottage would be demolished and Kindergarten classrooms would move into the first level of Stanard Hall. Additional parking would be added to the front yard area, symmetrical with the north and south entrance structures to provide dedicated visitor parking.

A magnificent Good Shepherd stained glass window is planned above the entrance to the Chapel. This shall communicate to the community the mission of the Good Shepherd Episcopal School. The above structures would be the first phases of construction toward satisfying the most immediate needs of the school.

Finally, to provide a flexible and effective expansion plan for the Church, the east wing of classrooms shall be demolished and new wing of larger, additional classrooms and nursery shall be constructed adjacent to the Sanctuary. This shall provide easier more direct access from the current entrance (to remain) adjacent to the front of the sanctuary to the new classroom wing.

Upon entering the main entrance to the Church facilities (at the current location off Midway Road), one walks past the existing fountain (to remain) through a glass walkway where the view to the right dramatically explodes down into the courtyard of the school. There, framed and on axis (bottom left) with the steeple tower shall be the facade of the Chapel, thus reinforcing the Christ centered teaching mission of Good Shepherd Episcopal School. This visual connection and link between the Church and the School is a celebration of the partnership between the Church and School. It provides formal, developmental structure for the organization of future growth.

This visual connection between the Church and School is conceived to be a classical sacred way. The shaping of the new and existing structures compose a pathway that links the steeple with the facade of the Chapel. Since there will be a change in grade, the pathway will have steps. Like the steps at the Piazza Espania in Rome (see below), but not as severe, there shall be landings and overlooks along the way. These landings and overlooks along this sacred way shall be designed to accommodate Christian votive offerings. These may be columbariums, prayer gardens, altars, fountains, etc. This walkway may be used for processions, concerts, dinners, school functions and many other uses.

Framing the pathway to the east will be new, larger Church classrooms. These dedicated Church classrooms shall be part of a larger fellowship hall which will serve as a gymnasium during the week for the school. The gymnasium will back up to the cafetorium which will now have expanded seating capabilities.

Updated January 31, 2010

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