“If a building is honest the architecture is religious.” That’s what Eliel Saarinen said. He designed Christ Church Lutheran.
Christ Church Lutheran stands as a testament to architectural integrity. It offers a serene space for worship. This building has influenced church design for decades. It received the American Institute of Architects’ 25-Year Award in 1977.
Let’s delve into the story of this remarkable church. It began with a need for a new worship space. The congregation initially planned a Gothic Revival church. But rising costs after World War II made that impossible. Reverend William A. Buege sought a more economical solution.
He learned about Scandinavian ecclesiastical design. Its simplified lines and lower construction costs appealed to him. Buege contacted Eliel Saarinen about designing the church. He wondered if something truly spiritual was possible in a materialistic age. Saarinen soon showed him it was.
Saarinen presented preliminary sketches in June 1948. Groundbreaking took place on November 14 1948. The congregation gathered at the construction site. Some thought the modern design looked like a factory.
The church is a large rectangular volume. It is 130 feet long 55 feet wide and 35 feet high. A tower is positioned to the south. It connects to the church with a glazed passageway. The tower rises 88 feet. A 32-foot-high aluminum cross tops it.
Inside rose-colored Chicago common brick covers the walls. Winona travertine marble paves the aisles and chancel. White oak and white pine make up the interior woodwork. The nave seats 600. The pews extend into one-story wings. This gives the nave intimacy.
A curved brick wall washed with white paint sits at the rear of the chancel. A 16-foot-high aluminum cross stands there. Natural light dramatically shines through a full-height window. The cross casts a shadow that changes with the daylight. This creates an evocative effect.
None of the walls are parallel. The ceiling slants. Even the balcony railing is canted forward. These features enhance the building’s acoustics. They prevent echoes.
The church was completed in late 1949. It cost $336211.92. This was less than the Gothic Revival estimate. Buege gave Saarinen a gold key at the dedication ceremony. The Minneapolis Star quoted Saarinen saying the Gothic period expired in 1100. Each time produces its own style of architecture.
Christ Church Lutheran was Saarinen’s last completed design. He died the next year.
Saarinen used materials proportion and light to great effect. He created a building with dramatic impact. Yet it retained a human scale. It possessed serenity. This distinguished his work from other modernists.
In just over a decade an Education Wing was added. Buege asked Eliel Saarinen’s son Eero to be the architect. Eero was at the height of his career. He agreed to ensure the addition complemented his father’s design.
Eero enlisted architect Glen Paulsen to assist. The Education Wing is a one-story building with a full basement. It uses the same brick as the church. It includes classrooms a kindergarten and an adult lounge. The lower level has a gymnasium a kitchen and offices.
Eero positioned the gymnasium in the basement to keep the addition low. A rounded skylight replaced a planned clerestory. An arcade connects the Education Wing to the church. A courtyard separates the buildings.
Working drawings were completed in June 1961. Eero died before construction finished. The Education Wing was completed in 1962. Buege developed a friendship with Eero too.
Christ Church Lutheran received the AIA Twenty-Five Year Award in 1977. The AIA called it a living symbol of architectural integrity. It provides inspiration to architects. Historian Albert Christ-Janer considered it Eliel’s masterwork. It became a National Historic Landmark in 2009. Its focused design lighting and acoustics make it unique.
Today Christ Church Lutheran continues to inspire. It is a place of worship community and beauty. Its doors are open. All are welcome to experience this architectural gem. Free architecture tours are available. They are led by the Friends of Christ Church Lutheran.