Houses of the Holy, American Style

Interior view of Crystal Cathedral, Orange County, CA.

A couple months ago, I wrote a blog post that touches on the development of the architecture of the American megachurch as a function of secular forces. I wrote:

Anyone who’s been to the Vatican can tell you, of course, that there is nothing new about grandiose church architecture.  But there are some key distinctions that make the American megachurch a relatively recent evolutionary development.  Unlike Old World houses of worship, which were by and large designed to create a consecrated environment worlds away from everyday concerns, megachurches conjure their power by simply magnifying the intensity and scale of the secular experiences of the marketplace.

As it turns out, New York-based architecture critic Joseph Clark has written a feature on this very subject for Triple Canopy, complete with a slide presentation.  It’s a fascinating read.

Thanks to Wyndel Hunt for the link.

~ by emilypothast on February 12, 2010.