Peter Roesch
"A Non-denominational Church" (M.ARCH. ‘56)
Advisor: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Daniel Brenner
Also acknowledged: Frank Kornacker
Material: Steel
Structural system: Two (2) longitudinal external Pratt truss girders with columns and suspended roof system
Maximum span: 144 feet
“Since the beginning of Christianity, the church has served as a place of religious meditation and worship of God. In addition, it had several sociological functions: a meeting place of the community to exchange the latest news; the bells gave the standard of time and indicated important events; statues and decorations in the church were focal points for religious expression and informed even the illiterate about Biblical history; finally the clergy, representing the most advanced learning, gave advice concerning all matters (not necessarily pertaining to religion).
In contemporary society all these functions have been replaced by more efficient means, so that the church should remain a pure, symbolic place for religious meditation. This should be expressed today by the building, a clear simple structure, significant to our present religious attitude and our age of technology. This should display the original idea exemplified by the early Christians, a simple room for group worship (according to the New Testament) “where people come together in "My name, I, the Lord, will be among them.”
“A clear structure is a consequence of the functional use of a material. The form of the buildings depends on its structure. The functional use of steel as an industrial product is an expression of our technical age and gives rise to new possibilities.
The decision to investigate a steel skeleton was made at the outset. It is used for the structure of a space, permitting utilization by the different religious rites. In order to create one big space which gives possibilities for flexible arrangement a skeleton of two trusses supported on columns carries the hanging roof.”
