The Landscape Architect's Role

The Landscape Architect served as the lead design consultant for the project working with the Building Committee of Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, key staff members of the church including the Senior Pastor, the sculptor of the three bronze works incorporated into the design, as well as the donors of the three sculpture pieces. The landscape architect took the lead role in programming and provided complete design through construction observation and maintenance consultation services. Other consultants involved included fountain MEP, irrigation, electrical, lighting, and civil / structural consultants.

 

Successful Resolution of the Project's Program

Background. With a membership of approximately 5,000 people, Lovers Lane United Methodist Church is one of the five largest congregations in United Methodism. Located on a compact six acre campus in North Dallas, facilities have grown from an initial fellowship hall, education building, and chapel to a complex that now includes a 1,000 seat sanctuary, a new 33,000 square foot family center and gym and parking for approximately 650 cars. Outdoor space has become increasingly more important to staff and lay leadership as buildings have consumed more of the site. With the development of the newest addition to the campus, the family center, the Building Committee challenged the landscape architect to identify and develop an outdoor space that would provide the congregation with opportunities for:

· Meditation and Study

· Meeting space for Sunday School classes and other church education groups · Small intimate gatherings such as weddings and funerals

· Other special events in the life of the church

 

The ideal space for the garden was identified as a heavily treed area adjacent to the new family center, an area that was underutilized because of the existing topography and pedestrian circulation routes that directed people to other parts of the campus. The Garden was to be named in honor of Dr. Don Benton, Senior Pastor of Lovers Lane United Methodist Church from 1979 through 1996, who had a major impact in the lives of the primary donors who made the Family Center and Garden a reality. Once the site was chosen, the landscape architect began several conceptual sketches of a garden that could be the centerpiece of the latest building expansion project of the church. After the sketches were reviewed with the Building Committee the landscape architect was able to influence two major facility programming elements of the family center that was currently under design-elements that would have a major impact on the development of the garden space:

· A church parlor and outdoor terrace were positioned on the north side of the future garden space so that activities in the parlor could have the benefit of the adjacent garden;

· An enclosed two level pedestrian connector was added to the family center program to facilitate all-weather pedestrian movement from the family center to the existing fellowship hall and education building. This connector would have a full-height glass wall to take advantage of views into the garden.

With these final planning parameters in place, the landscape architect refined the final scheme that is described below.

 

Description on Garden's Concept

The Benton Garden is composed of three main elements. The Parlor Tenace is a paved space of concrete and stone that extends the use of the Family Center parlor to the outdoors and offers wonderful views into the garden below. The focal element of this terrace is the Holy Spirit Fountain, a quiet and serene pool of water that falls to the lower garden through a break in the parlor terrace wall. Benches and containers filled with seasonal plantings compliment the terrace. The Intennediate Level Garden connects the Parlor Terrace with Epworth Hall to the south with a flagstone walkway surrounded by major planting beds of azaleas, fems, and groundcovers of varying colors and textures. This flagstone walk connects to the lower garden level by a series of terraced steps that offer seating arrangements for small group gatherings and ceremonies. A pool of water with natural stone edging receives the water spill from the Holy Spirit Fountain located at the Parlor Terrace. An additional terrace is positioned adjacent to Epworth Hall for outdoor Sunday School classes or other meetings.

 

The Lower Garden is defined by a free form white concrete seat wall providing informal seating for individual meditation or counseling. An additional flagstone walkway connects to the Parlor Terrace on the north side of the lower garden and provides an alternative access to the lower garden as well as flexibility for set-ups for larger gatherings. The main plant material of the lower garden is a St. Augustine Grass lawn to facilitate pedestrian circulation at this level and to provide the needed flexibility for group gatherings. A low wall on the western edge of the garden will ultimately enclose the space when funds for this portion of the project are in place. The flagstone walk will be extended to the west and will include several small, intimate seating areas for private meditation and contemplation. Three bronze sculptures are carefully located in the garden, each with a scriptural theme that relates back to the "Christ Family".

Impact and Significance of the Project on the Local Community or Surroundings

 

Lovers Lane United Methodist Church is considered a regional church in that its membership is drawn from the entire Dallas area and beyond and has outreach programs that reach into all areas and cultures of the City of Dallas. This garden is used by both church members and non members to offer an outdoor setting, quiet and serene in nature that allows individuals to discover a prayerful environment suitable to his own religious experience and need to communicate with his God.

 

Special or Unique Solutions to Unusual Problems

Because of the proximity to the Family Center, which was officially named the Christ Family Center, it was decided early on to incorporate into the garden one or more sculpture pieces that depicted scriptural references to the "Christ Family". Rick Jackson, of Weatherford, Texas was the artist who worked with the Senior Pastor and Landscape Architect to design and site the pieces. Adjacent to the lower pool of the Intermediate Level Garden stands the sculpture 'Philip and the Ethiopian' which asks, "...What is to prevent me from being baptized?", Acts 8:36. The sculpture 'Jesus and the Child' sits on the wall of the Lower Garden proclaiming, "Let the little children come to me." Mathew 19:14. On the flagstone walk connecting the Parlor Terrace with Epworth Hall is placed the sculpture 'Jesus and the Older Woman' affirming, "I will not leave you comfortless." John 14:18. These pieces help affirm that there is a greater being to help all of us in our times of trial and are important elements in establishing a reverent mood for prayer and meditation in this peaceful and restful garden space.