Report a Comment

It's all about money. The Third Church for 20 years was proud of its modernist building, designed by the internationally famous I.M. Pei firm. The Church distributed flyers praising the structure and did the same on its website until a year ago. Then a developer, ICG, came along and offered the Church several alternatives: $3 million for its building if it would move off site or many more millions if the Church would support ICG's ambitious plans for development on the site, including demolition of the church building. The Church declined the $3 million and went for the huge profit. Then the developer announced that it would not go through with its project because of the economy, and the Church was left dangling. Only with the prospect of big bucks did the Church complain in hearings about the "hidden" entrance, problems of upkeep and ugliness of the building.

Appreciation of architecture can run in cycles. Years ago, the majority thought that Victorian buildings were the epitome of ugliness, bad taste, a mishmash of historical styles, and should be demolished. Many, many such buildings were in fact torn down. Now almost everyone appreciates and treasures Victorian architecture. restores it and preserves it.

Brutalist architecture admitedly is tough to like, but those who lambast the Third Church or these grounds should hold their tongue unless they have been inside the Church. It is a magical place, quiet, with soft light from skylights above, in deliberate contract to the forbidding exterior. The sanctuary is in fact an auditorium which seats 400 and could easily be rented out for income for the Church, a step that the Church adamantly refuses to do.

by abc on Apr 10, 2009 12:06 pm • link • report