Six Houses of Worship: Bus Tour of Modern Religious Architecture in Westchester and Fairfield County

Spend a day with DOCOMOMO US/New York Tri-State exploring some of the most notable and inspiring examples of Modern religious architecture in our area. This unique full day bus tour will visit six places of worship north of New York City in Westchester County, NY and Fairfield County, CT. Completed between 1956 and 1970, the six sites were designed for five different denominations, by six talented local Modern architects. We will see the interiors of all six, including their sanctuaries.

Widely known as the Fish Church, the First Presbyterian Church in Stamford, perhaps the best known church on the tour, was designed by Wallace K. Harrison and is a National Historic Landmark. Its soaring sanctuary surrounded by 20,000 pieces of dalle de verre stained-glass is among the most impressive Modern interiors in our region. The remarkable organic form of the United Church of Rowayton garnered architect Joseph Salerno a First Honor Award in the 1963 AIA National Honor Awards and has been widely published. The only synagogue designed by Pritzker Prize recipient Philip Johnson, the elegant Congregation Kneses Tifereth Israel Synagogue in Port Chester is formed of pre-cast concrete inset with narrow Belgian stained glass panels. Often celebrated for its vast array of notable Modern houses, New Canaan is also home to two relatively overlooked Modern churches: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, designed by Willis Mills of Sherwood, Mills & Smith, featuring glass by the Willet Studio, and the neighboring First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan by Philip Ives. The first visit on our tour will be the less known Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains, by architect Jules Gregory, published in the late 1950s in both Architectural Forum and Interiors.

Lunch included. Advance registration required. Capacity is strictly limited. Rain or shine.