Have you ever heard of a meeting house that has an opening to the sky? Welcome to the Live Oak Friends Meeting House in Houston, a unique place where faith and art intertwine. This isn’t just your typical meeting house. It’s a special place designed by a renowned artist named James Turrell.
The building, which was completed in 2000, houses the Live Oak Friends Meeting, a Quaker congregation that was formed 50 years earlier. Quakers believe in finding the divine within themselves and in the world around them. This idea is reflected in the building’s design, which is both simple and inspiring. Turrell incorporated his vision for what he called a “Skyspace” into the very heart of the main meeting room. It’s a square opening in the roof that can be opened to the sky using a sliding panel. The idea was to bring the outdoors in and create a space for contemplation and connection with the divine.
The opening is surrounded by a series of hidden neon tubes that light up the space with a gentle blue glow when the roof is closed. This blue light is meant to symbolize the “inner light” that Quakers believe everyone possesses. While Turrell’s work added a unique dimension to the meeting house, the Friends Meeting actually had a long history of meeting in different places before they found their permanent home. They started in 1954 as a small group meeting in Walter and Myra Whitson’s house. Over the years, they moved to different locations, including a Jewish community center and a Presbyterian manse before finding their current home.
The Live Oak Friends Meeting has been a place of worship and community for over 60 years. Their story started with small gatherings and grew into a vibrant community with a stunning meeting house that connects them to the greater Houston area.