GFF

School’s out for summer!  While the halls at @thehockadayschool might be quiet for the break, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the incredible transformation of their campus. From the new 85,000 sq. ft. Center for the Arts to the Lyda Hill STEM Institute, these spaces were designed to foster the next generation of Hockaday creatives and scientists. Whether it’s the 70-foot fly space in the proscenium theater or the new green roof teaching labs, we are so proud of our partnership with this community. Happy Summer! We can’t wait to see these studios and labs buzzing with energy again in the fall.  #GFFDesign #HockadaySchool #DallasArchitecture #CenterForTheArts #EducationalDesign

Anchoring the West End for over a century, Factory Six03 demonstrates how careful rehabilitation can transform an industrial landmark into a vibrant hub for the modern creative class. Originally constructed in three phases between 1903 and 1922 for the Brown Cracker and Candy Company, the complex occupies a uniquely shaped site defined by the paths of former rail spurs and the collision of two original City of Dallas survey grids. Recognizing the potential of this highly recognizable structure, Granite Properties envisioned a revitalized 215,000 square foot space that honors its past while attracting new office tenants and restaurants. As a designated City of Dallas Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building required a highly measured approach. The structure exhibited significant scars from past uses, prompting an extensive architectural response. GFF partnered with ArchiTexas to reconstruct missing sections of the heavy-timber floors and correct unsympathetic interior modifications. Exterior repairs were meticulously executed, including the rehabilitation of historic masonry, the re-glazing of original windows, and the restoration of the iconic rooftop water tanks, loading docks, and canopies. Modern additions were introduced to enhance the user experience and establish an authentic dialogue between old and new. A new atrium skylight, active plaza landscaping, and rooftop amenity areas create spaces designed for focus, collaboration, and daily exchange, extending the legacy of this historic address well into the next century. Factory Six03, Dallas, Texas @graniteproperties @architexas1 #GFFDesign #FactorySix03 #AdaptiveReuse #HistoricPreservation #dallaswestend

Advancing education requires environments that not only house innovation but actively participate in it. At St. Mark’s School of Texas, a major science facilities initiative merges the renovated McDermott-Green building with the new Winn Science Center to create a comprehensive campus for discovery. Designed to support highly demanding technical requirements, the spaces range from DNA and Environmental Science labs to a maker shop, robotics lab, and a 100-seat planetarium, ensuring students have the tools to engage deeply with complex systems. Instructional spaces are purposefully organized around a two-story, skylit Commons. This central hub functions as both an informal study lounge and a dynamic arena for robotics competitions, connected by continuous balconies that encourage community interaction. Outside, a pond and cultivation beds extend the classroom into the landscape, proving that hands-on learning isn’t confined to the laboratory. As we continue to highlight K-12 projects for Architecture Week 2026, this campus reflects the importance of precision in delivering purpose-driven educational spaces. Serving as the Architect of Record alongside design architect Robert A. M. Stern Architects, our goal was to ensure this ambitious vision was seamlessly realized. When complex facilities are expertly executed, they provide the necessary foundation for the school’s mission, allowing academic excellence, leadership, and innovation to take center stage. Winn Science Center & McDermott-Green Building, St. Mark’s School of Texas – Dallas, Texas #GFFDesign #StMarksTexas #ArchitectureWeek2026 #EducationalArchitecture #k12architecture

To inspire the next generation, a learning environment must sometimes extend beyond the four walls of a classroom.   The Environmental Science Building for Lakehill Prep School was designed as the first academic structure on a new satellite campus, where field biology, botany, and environmental stewardship are studied firsthand. Designed as an immersive educational hub, the facility supports students and faculty as they engage directly with the adjacent creek and surrounding ecosystem.   Configured to minimize disturbance to the existing topography and vegetation, the architecture intentionally yields to the site. A cantilevered covered porch acts as a treetop-level observation platform, allowing the landscape to serve as the primary teacher while the building provides orientation, access, and support. Inside, three laboratory classrooms and a great hall provide focused areas for scientific inquiry, while a locally sourced limestone plaza creates a natural gathering space for the school community.   In celebration of Architecture Week 2026, this project reflects our approach to K-12 design: begin with the environment, understand the curriculum it supports, and create architecture that clarifies purpose. Pursuing LEED Silver certification, the building is shaped by its environmental context, serving as a tool for education, resilience, and lasting community value.   Lakehill Prep School Environmental Science Building – Dallas, Texas   #GFFDesign #LakehillPrep #ArchitectureWeek2026 #EducationalArchitecture #k12design

Architecture can support learning not by dominating the landscape, but by helping people understand where they are and why it matters. At 5,400 square feet, the John Bunker Sands Wetland Center is modest in scale but expansive in function. The building supports interactive exhibits, research labs, classrooms, community gatherings, and overnight research stays, all organized to serve a wide range of users within an active wetland environment. Program spaces are designed for flexibility and daily use, from hands-on education to scientific study, while observation areas connect occupants directly to the surrounding habitat. Every element reinforces orientation, visibility, and engagement, allowing visitors to move seamlessly between interior learning spaces and the landscape beyond. This project illustrates how we approach environmental and educational architecture. Design begins with understanding how people learn, gather, and observe, then translating those needs into clear, purposeful spaces. The result is architecture that works quietly in service of place, mission, and long-term stewardship. John Bunker Sands Wetland Center – Seagoville, Texas @jbswetlandcenter #GFFDesign #JohnBunkerSandsWetlandCenter #NatureCenterDesign #EnvironmentalArchitecture #EducationArchitecture LandscapeAndArchitecture DesignWithNature WetlandCenter SustainableDesign EcologicalDesign EnvironmentalEducation LearningEnvironments ConservationDesign Architecture TexasArchitecture DallasArchitecture

Some projects begin with a building, while others begin with understanding the systems that make a place work. The John Bunker Sands Wetland Center sits at the heart of more than 3,100 acres of constructed wetlands, where water reuse, habitat restoration, and environmental education operate together at a regional scale. Designed as the hub for research, learning, and community engagement, the center supports students, scientists, and visitors as they experience how infrastructure and ecology intersect. As part of the East Fork Wetland Project, the surrounding landscape naturally filters nearly 90 million gallons of water each day, demonstrating a closed-loop system that couples conservation with long-term water stewardship. The architecture is intentionally measured, allowing the wetland itself to remain the primary teacher while the building provides orientation, access, and support. This project reflects our approach to nature-centered work: begin with the land, understand the systems at play, and design architecture that clarifies purpose rather than competes for attention. When buildings are shaped by their environmental context, they become tools for education, resilience, and lasting community value. John Bunker Sands Wetland Center – Seagoville, Texas @jbswetlandcenter #GFFDesign #JohnBunkerSandsWetlandCenter #NatureCenterDesign #EnvironmentalArchitecture #EducationArchitecture LandscapeAndArchitecture DesignWithNature WetlandCenter SustainableDesign EcologicalDesign EnvironmentalEducation LearningEnvironments ConservationDesign Architecture TexasArchitecture DallasArchitecture

At the Cox School of Business, learning unfolds through spaces shaped by light, clarity, and connection. With its third semester complete, the renewed Cox School of Business is already fulfilling its purpose.   Students, faculty, and visitors now move through a learning environment  organized around collaboration, orientation, and shared experience, marking an important milestone for SMU and the Cox community. Developed in close collaboration between GFF and  Robert A.M. Stern Architects, the project reflects a belief that academic environments should be intuitive, generous, and enduring. The interiors are structured to support how people actually use the building each day, with a new multi-story commons serving as the social and academic heart of the school and primary circulation aligned with courtyard views and natural light. Student spaces are concentrated at the entry and lower levels to encourage activity and interaction, while faculty spaces are consolidated to improve accessibility and connection. Classrooms and collaboration areas are designed with flexibility and capacity in mind, supporting a wide range of teaching styles and group sizes. Together, these spaces create an academic environment that prioritizes engagement, orientation, and long-term usability, positioning the Cox School of Business for its next generation of students. SMU – Cox School of Business @smudallas @smuofpm @smucox @ramsarchitects @rogersobrien 
@rlgengineers #officeofchristophermiller #purdymcquire Photography: Francis Dzikowski / OTTO / RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects) @fdphotonyc @ottoarchive #GFFDesign #SMU #CoxSchoolOfBusiness #HigherEducationDesign #AcademicArchitecture #InteriorArchitecture #LearningEnvironments #CampusInteriors #StudentSpaces #CollaborationSpaces #UniversityArchitecture #InstitutionalDesign #Architecture #DallasArchitecture #TexasArchitecture

The work of Robert A.M. Stern reminds us that architecture can honor history while remaining fully present, a legacy reflected throughout the renewed Cox School of Business at SMU. Congratulations to Southern Methodist University on completing their third semester in the newly transformed Cox School of Business. This project was made possible through a close collaboration between GFF and  Robert A.M. Stern Architects, and we want to honor Robert Stern’s enduring influence on the profession. His work defined one edge of architectural practice for generations, demonstrating that clarity, context, and discipline can produce architecture that remains relevant well beyond its moment. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and to the entire RAMSA team, whose work continues to carry his legacy forward. As Executive Architect, GFF partnered with RAMSA to reconfigure and expand the Cox School of Business into a cohesive academic environment rooted in the fabric of the SMU campus. The design unifies existing and new buildings through a clear architectural language, organizes circulation around courtyards and daylight, and supports students and faculty through spaces designed for focus, collaboration, and daily exchange. The result is a campus environment shaped by how people learn and engage, positioned to support the school for decades to come. SMU – Cox School of Business @smudallas @smuofpm @smucox @ramsarchitects @rogersobrien 
@rlgengineers 
#officeofchristophermiller
#purdymcquire Photography: Francis Dzikowski / OTTO / RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects) @fdphotonyc @ottoarchive #GFFDesign #SMU #CoxSchoolOfBusiness #SMUCampus #AcademicArchitecture #Architecture #CampusArchitecture #HigherEducationDesign #UniversityArchitecture #InstitutionalArchitecture #ArchitectCollaboration #DesignExcellence #ArchitectureLegacy #RAMSA #RobertAMStern #LearningEnvironments #CampusLife #AcademicSpaces #StudentExperience #DallasArchitecture #TexasArchitecture

Designed as a stately modern residential tower rooted in the historic fabric of Uptown, Maple Terrace pairs contemporary luxury with a timeless architectural profile. The new 345 unit residential tower was designed by GFF to feel like a refined home within the skyline, with a classic base, middle, and top composition, limited glazing to 35 percent, and an emphasis on stone and opaque surfaces that offer shadow, depth, and character. Subtle shifts in the tower plan emphasize vertical proportion, while carefully considered windows, balconies, and porticos create a human scaled rhythm. The tower shares the site with the original 1925 Maple Terrace building, brilliantly adapted by @5g_studio_collaborative for commercial and restaurant use, establishing an authentic dialogue between old and new and extending the legacy of this historic address into the next century. Maple Terrace Residences – Dallas, Texas @hines @liveatmapleterrace @gffdesign @5g_studio_collaborative @rottetstudio @swagroup @kimleyhorn @thorntontomasetti #meengineers @oldnerlighting @rsmdesign #GFFdesign #Architecture #UptownDallas #DallasDesign #ResidentialDesign #HighRise #Precast #HistoricContext #MapleTerrace #GFF

The landscape introduces softness, shade, and spatial intimacy, turning urban edges into places of pause, gathering, and green relief. Working in collaboration with @swagroup , the landscape strategy transforms the spaces between buildings into connective tissue. A small parkette sits between the historic Maple Terrace and the new tower, allowing the architecture to frame a sheltered pocket of nature. At the amenity deck, deeply layered plantings, outdoor lounges, and elevated terraces create semi private experiences floating above the street. Thoughtful species selection, planters integrated with architectural massing, and shaded pedestrian paths establish a refined outdoor living environment that complements the tower and invites residents into daily engagement with the site. Maple Terrace Residences – Dallas, Texas @hines @liveatmapleterrace @gffdesign @5g_studio_collaborative @rottetstudio @swagroup @kimleyhorn @thorntontomasetti #meengineers @oldnerlighting @rsmdesign #SWAdesign #LandscapeArchitecture #DallasArchitecture #UptownDallas #PublicRealm #GreenDesign #UrbanLandscape #PocketPark #MapleTerrace #GFFdesign #GFF

Interiors at Maple Terrace express contemporary residential hospitality with curated materials, sculpted surfaces, and an elevated sense of everyday living. Designed by @rottetstudio , the interiors present a calm, refined palette with arching forms, crafted detailing, and layered textures that evoke a boutique hotel experience. Spaces flow from soft seating lounges to garden framed conservatories, from culinary and social gathering environments to wellness focused amenities including yoga terraces, infrared saunas, maker spaces, and entertainment lounges. The interior narrative bridges modern sensibility with residential comfort, interpreting the elegance of the original 1925 building into a distinctly current lifestyle environment. Maple Terrace Residences – Dallas, Texas @hines @liveatmapleterrace @gffdesign @5g_studio_collaborative @rottetstudio @swagroup @kimleyhorn @thorntontomasetti #meengineers @oldnerlighting @rsmdesign @drorbaldingerphotographer #RottetStudio #InteriorDesign #DallasInteriors #ResidentialInteriors #AmenityDesign #BoutiqueLiving #Materiality #MapleTerrace #GFFdesign #GFF

Designing the street as a shared social space through human-scale gathering zones and porous edges between indoors and out. At the pedestrian level, the design creates a welcoming and highly usable network of outdoor rooms, including plazas, terraces, planted edges, and cafe seating that encourage lingering and interaction. Native landscape strategies, layered shade structures, comfortable seating, and permeable building thresholds reinforce a calm and walkable experience. The result is a ground plane that supports daily life, strengthens community connection, and establishes a sense of place at the corner. 2615 Oak-Lawn Mixed-Use – Dallas, Texas
 #StreetLevelDesign #Placemaking #UrbanLife #HumanScaleDesign #PedestrianExperience #PublicRealm #LandscapeArchitecture #OutdoorRooms #WalkableStreets #SidewalkCulture #RetailActivation #PublicSpaceDesign #UrbanStreetLife #CommunityCentered #CafeCulture #DallasDesign #ArchitecturePhotography #StreetPerspective #DesignedForPeople #GFF