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The late Portland architect Pietro Belluschi, one of Oregon’s most respected and award-winning citizens, said that designing a house of worship “is closer to pure art than almost any other field of architecture. Defined as the expression of the human spirit”.
During his long career, Belluschi designed 42 modern, light-filled churches and synagogues that were built in Oregon and across the country. Like the innovative homes and office buildings he created, his sacred spaces continue to be praised for their elegant, minimalist aesthetic.
Restoring Oregon Modernism will host two Belluschi church-themed events in May: a lecture on May 9 at the Belluschi-designed Central Lutheran Church in Northeast Portland, and a May 11 Take a self-guided tour of the architect’s five Portland-area churches, including the historic Central Lutheran Church, which was put up for sale in January, a first for Belluschi’s religious buildings.
The May 9 lecture included insights from architect Anthony Belluschi, who collaborated with his father Pietro on some 20 new projects, and architect William C. Tripp, who oversaw the 1950 renovation of the Central Lutheran Church. Pietro Belluschi’s Sacred Space Lecture will open at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $25.
The self-paced Pietro Belluschi Sacred Space Tour takes place on May 11 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $50. Both events, along with other Restore Oregon 2024 projects, are free and open to those who donate $250 annually to the nonprofit Modernist Society (more information at Restoreoregon.org).
The Restoring Oregon Modernism event focuses on Pietro Belluschi’s intentional departures from 19th- and early 20th-century church design and his lasting influence as one of the founders of the Pacific Northwest modernist style in the 1930s. Nicole Possert, executive director of the Oregon Restoration Project, said Belluschi set “a new standard in architectural aesthetics.”
Belluschi’s use of native wood, rough stone and glass not only adds to the visual appeal of each church on the tour, “but also brings a sense of place to each church,” Possette said in a press release. feel”. “His architectural legacy continues to inspire and shape Oregon’s built environment, leaving an indelible mark on its identity.”
The tour and lecture will also showcase Belluschi’s collaborations with Oregon metal artist Frederic Littman and wood sculptor Leroy Setziol.
Religious architecture was only a small part of Belluschi’s prolific career, which ended in 1994, shortly before his death at age 94 in Portland. But church architecture gave him great artistic expression and personal satisfaction, Anthony Belluschi said.
The Petrobeluschi Sacred Space Tour on May 11 includes:
- The 1950 Central Lutheran Church in Northeast Portland’s Irvington neighborhood has been praised by modern architecture experts from the American Institute of Architects and Docomomo US/Oregon for its elegant blend of Pacific Northwest modern, Japanese and Nordic aesthetics.
- Built in 1950, St. Philip Neri Catholic Church is located in the Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood of southeast Portland and has a pleasingly plain variegated brick wall. facade and a free-standing bell tower that houses the carillon used in the Oregon Centennial Celebration.
- Built in 1950, Zion Lutheran Church in Southwest Portland’s Goose Hollow neighborhood has a copper-clad spire and an interior that reflects Belluschi’s interplay of light and shadow, creating a tranquil atmosphere. . Artist Litman created the bronze entrance door depicting the ascending angel.
- The 1980s sanctuary at Murray Hills Christian Church in Beaverton features a polyhedral roof and stained glass designed by the architect. Meredith L. Clausen wrote in her 1992 book Spiritual Space: The Religious Architecture of Pietro Belluschi that the church “draws on traditional , but completely modern in form.”
- The University of Portland’s Church of Christ the Teacher was built in 1986 and features natural rock and intricately carved woodwork, including a black walnut entrance door carved by Setziol. Restoration Oregon called it “a testament to Belluschi’s reverence for nature.”
Anthony Belluschi told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he and his wife, Marti, are always happy to support Restoring the Oregon Plan. “They are well-informed, well-organized and engaged,” he said. “Their visit to the church is particularly appropriate as my father is known for his influence on modern design of houses of worship. Our goal has always been to inspire and educate everyone, especially young people.”
Throughout the year, Restore Oregon Modernism 2024 will have additional opportunities to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Pietro Belluschi’s birth on August 18. He remains the only Oregonian to receive the National Medal of Arts and the American Institute of Architects’ highest honor, the Gold Medal, for lifetime achievement.
On June 8, supporters of Restore Oregon can tour the 1946 Menefee House, an elegant one-story ranch home designed by Belluschi on farmland in Yamhill. Beneath the living room’s vaulted wood ceiling is a dazzling copper fireplace mantle designed by Littman.
Actor-turned-turkey mogul Percy (“PL”) Menifee’s striking contemporary home has been named the “most progressive home” in the United States by Progressive Architecture magazine. Currently, tickets for tours and wines from local vintners are only available through Modernist Society members.
The “Restoring Oregon Modernism 2024” project also held a tour on July 13 to pay tribute to the practical perfectionist and architect John Storrs. Completed around 1957, this architect’s four-family residence shares one acre of land and is divided into four lots on and around Southwest 18th Avenue in Portland’s Hillsdale neighborhood.
Oh my Storrs tickets! A family tour for four (including a glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres) is $125. According to Restore Oregon, ATOMIC Modernist Society members who donate $325 to Restore Oregon will receive free admission, and Modernist Society members will receive discounts.
— Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072
jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman
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