Tour Day 2025 Recap: National Presbyterian Church
- Docomomo DC
- Oct 15
- 3 min read
On a crisp Saturday morning, October 11, 2025, architecture lovers, preservationists, and curious neighbors gathered at the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC for the Docomomo DC Tour Day. Under the theme “Places of Worship,” this year’s tour offered a deep dive into one of Washington's DC most striking mid-century modern sacred spaces.
Opening: Setting the Stage
The event opened with an illuminating talk by Diane Stewart, recently retired Facilities Director of National Presbyterian, and Jennie Gwin, Partner at Beyer Blinder Belle (BBB). Diane walked us through the long arc of planning conception from the earliest in 1929 through many site options and building designs that were considered up to the final modernist/neo-gothic design by Harold E. Wagoner, erected in 1967 by Charles H. Tompkins Co. of Washington, D.C. Jennie followed with insight into more recent work by BBB: renovations, additions, enhancements for accessibility and community use of the DC modern gothic landmark.
Walking the Spaces
After the lecture, tour participants were led through the heart of the campus. Highlights included:
The landscaped marble fountain and garden courtyard, alongside stone walls engraved with Biblical verses.
The chapel, more intimate, offering contrasts in scale, quietness, and detailing.
The main sanctuary, where Wagoner’s modern Gothic design is on full display with soaring lines, the play of light and dark, and architectural forms that support both the congregational gathering and spiritual experience.
The striking, abstract stained-glass windows were created in the 1960s by the Willet Company in Philadelphia and their designer Marguerite Gaudin. The “faceted glass” windows punctuate interior spaces with color and pattern, transforming light into an expressive architectural element rather than mere ornament.
Throughout the tour, there was a recurring theme: how design decisions from decades past continue to influence how the building is used today, and how careful interventions (both physical and functional) allow the church to remain vibrant and relevant without erasing its architectural heritage.
Reflections & Moments
Some of the most memorable moments:
Observing the ways the new additions (by BBB) negotiate with the original structure: matching proportions, selecting materials, and ensuring that interventions enhance rather than compete with Wagoner’s vision.
Seeing accessibility improvements, such as how ramps, entries, circulation are rethought to extend welcome without compromising design integrity.
Conversations among attendees about how light, materiality, and space contribute to the spiritual atmosphere. Many commented on how the stained glass alters throughout the morning as sun angle changes.
Why It Matters
The National Presbyterian Church is more than just a landmark; it is a living embodiment of mid-century sacred architecture, showing how modern design can express tradition and transcend it, how architectural form can serve both ritual and community. For those who attended, the tour was a reminder of why preservation matters: not only to protect what was built, but to ensure it continues to work, to speak, and to adapt.
Thanks and Looking Forward
A big thank you to Diane Stewart and Jennie Gwin for their expertise, to National Presbyterian for hosting, to Beyer Blinder Belle for their careful restoration, and to everyone who came out! The photos and videos from the tour capture not just the spaces, but the light, the textures, and the human moments.
We look forward to seeing you at our next Tour Day, and in the meantime, enjoy the photo gallery and video highlights!
Video Highlights
Photo Highlights
Photo and video credits: Jeremiah Huth