Wayfarers Chapel, an Iconic Structure by Lloyd Wright, Will Be Disassembled

Photo: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Wayfarers Chapel, an iconic modernist church designed by Lloyd Wright—Frank Lloyd Wright’s son—will be disassembled, reports The Architect’s Newspaper. Representatives for the venue in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, announced that Architectural Resources Group, a local firm that specializes in preservation, would lead the effort. The National Park Service will also aid, given the church’s landmark states. The restoration decision comes after months of damage to the site due to landslides and other movement, which have been accelerated recently by heavy rainfall.

Also known as the Glass Chapel, the notable structure sits atop Palos Verdes Peninsula near a landslide complex known as the Portuguese Bend. Because of the unstable ground, the structure has suffered shattered windows and cracks in the floor in recent months, and the chapel indefinitely closed in February of this year while perseveration experts determined the best way to save the structure. Ultimately, the decision to deconstruct the church, though extreme, was deemed the only feasible option. While taken apart, all materials will be photographed and cataloged so that the chapel can eventually be put back together.

“So many of the chapel’s original materials that were part of the Lloyd Wright design cannot be replicated today: the old growth redwood glulam, the blue roof tiles, the elegant network of steel that holds the windows together. With each passing day, more of this material is lost or irreparably damaged,” Katie Horak, principal of Architectural Resources Group, said at a press conference. “Our team is working against the clock to document and move these building components to safety so that they can be put back together again.”

Rancho Palos Verdes mayor John Cruikshank said the city would be helping with the disassembling efforts in addition to looking for solutions to slow the land movement. “We are committed on working with Wayfarers to ensure the chapel can quickly be rebuilt on a geologically safe location somewhere within our city if possible,” Cruikshank said, adding that no specific sites had been selected yet.

The modernist marvel is an incredible example of organic architecture and one of Lloyd Wright’s most well known projects. Redwood trees engulf the all-glass nave in a stunning display of nature-first design. In addition to admiration from architecture fans, the church has also made a number of onscreen appearances, including on The O.C., Revenge, The Bachelorette, and Lucifer. It’s also been a part of high-profile weddings, such as the 1958 nuptials of Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

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