Watermark Community Church: A 2022 Design Revisit

After 16 years of continual development, the stunning adaptive reuse project in Dallas remains true to its original design vision. But with a number of innovative twists.

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Back in 2003, Watermark Community Church celebrated its acquisition of a 13-acre plot of land in Dallas which would become the site of its new home. At the same time, church leadership worked with its local architect, Omniplan, on an intensive visioning and master planning process for this location––and to which both parties remain loyal today.

The initial design and construction phase involved the 150,000-square-foot East Tower, an existing office building that was repurposed to accommodate preschoolers, youth ministries, and meeting and gathering spaces for adults. Next came an adult worship center––the construction of a new building featuring a 2,100-seat auditorium, lobby, coffee shop, classrooms, and gathering spaces––that is linked to the West Tower via a sky bridge, and is now dedicated to children’s and youth activities. Following this came the construction of a 3,500-seat adult worship facility, a 500-seat multipurpose space (known as The Loft), and a 350-seat chapel on the upper level.

At the center of all of this sits the 20,000-square-foot Town Square, a gathering space that the church uses for a number of different events. This facility features floor-to-ceiling windows enabling a view of the greenbelt outside; its high ceilings accentuate the building’s spaciousness. Wood, brick, and masculine earth tones––as well as a fireplace––lend a feeling of coziness, even though the structure itself is so large.

Recently, Watermark purchased the East Tower, which houses various ministries, as well as existing tenants within the building. As of this writing, Omniplan was working on another project in the East Tower, which will create a place for community group ministry space and an even larger training room. Most recently, Watermark renovated the fifth floor of the West Tower to house The Institute, the educational arm of Watermark that provides residency, fellowship, and church planting programs. This space includes a large training room, study and collaboration spaces, and offices for Institute staff.

As of this writing, Omniplan was working on another project in the East Tower, which will create a place for community group ministry space and an even larger training room.

Permanence, presence, authenticity, excellence

While Omniplan began its work with Watermark in 2003, Meredith Quigley, AIA, RID, director of interiors, took over this project when she joined the firm in 2013. She explains that all design at Watermark is informed by the church’s values: permanence, presence, authenticity, and excellence. The two most recent projects apply the same design principles conceived back in 2003, while at the same time taking into consideration today’s aesthetics.

“It’s the age-old design challenge of: how do we do something that feels contemporary and fresh without being trendy and disposable?” she says. “That’s even more important to Watermark because their aesthetic is so rooted in their values."

The Omniplan team was committed to translating these values into the church’s physical building, but consistency of materials was key. Quigley worked with the Watermark team to create a master finish legend and material sample inventory. “We have documentation on everything that has been used, and that has really helped with consistency,” she explains.

This also helps everyone maintain a singular vision as the site continues to evolve. Unsurprisingly, as people “live” in these facilities, they’re apt to make some ad hoc changes. But in many cases, even minor alterations can compromise the more holistic design. In referring to the documentation while at the same time reviewing the design principles that were established during the original visioning sessions in 2003, it’s much easier to stay on track, Quigley relays.

“I always feel like it sounds a little bit cold or detached in some way to say, ‘well, that’s off-brand so we can’t do it,’ but you really have to,” Quigley says. “Because as soon as people start deviating, everything can branch off and you lose that consistency, which isn’t important for consistency’s sake––it’s important because people feel that permanence and presence, and they know where they are.” Non-designers may view a chair as just a chair, and therefore plop any old piece of furniture into a space when required; designers know that this has an impact on a much larger cause. “It is just a chair, but it creates an environment, and the environment makes people feel a certain way. Watermark’s vision was really clear in the beginning, that how people felt in their facilities was very, very important.”

Omniplan works with the church’s internal facilities department, which Quigley says has further streamlined the design process. “They’re the gatekeepers of the facility, and they do a really good job of it,” she says. The fact that this team is internal, she adds, ensures that, once again, everyone remains true to the original vision. “They have really helped in working to communicate with all the parties involved, and anybody who needs to have a say in shaping the design.”

“[Watermark's master vision] planned for certain things to happen and take place over time that did, and it also planned for flexibility ... What’s the saying? You plan your dive and dive your plan?"

Meredith Quigley, AIA, RID, Director of Interiors, Omniplan, Dallas, TX

Quigley––who clarifies that she can say this without being self-congratulating because she wasn’t involved in the original visioning––says that the master plan was “fantastic,” which lends to the success of Watermark’s evolution. “It planned for certain things to happen and take place over time that did, and it also planned for flexibility,” she says. Even as the church has undergone considerable growth, staffing expansion, and leadership changes, Watermark has continued down the path it defined almost 20 years ago. “What’s the saying? You plan your dive and dive your plan? The church did that, and it’s made it a lot easier because [things were] thought through early––and fortunately very, very well––and that has allowed for this kind of growth to take place.”

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