Religion significantly expanded its place in American life during the midcentury era. Between 1946 and 1955, an estimated 30 million Americans joined churches. By 1958 nearly two-thirds of all Americans belonged to a religious organization, compared to just 40 percent before Word War II.
From a book on Minnesota’s mid century architecture.
That is so wild. It is incredible how religion prospers when new tech emerges. In my mind it shouldn’t because science is about facts, questioning and moving forward, the opposite of religion’s design.
It is also wild that in the same time period, the opposite happened in Europe: Faith has been going down ever since the start of the 20th century.
It highlights the two sides of those world wars: Americans, “believing” that they can fight “evil” and win. On the other side Europeans understanding and tasting pragmatism and the fact that most countries, infrastructures, people, have been utterly decimated. There’s no belief here, just pain, resentment and reconstruction.
ANYWAY
Meanwhile mid-century, church-ey America let something like this happen. I love it. It’s insane. It’s bold. The honeycomb façade is fabulous. It looks amazing inside, a mix of star destroyer and cave environment.
I’m just in awe about things symmetrically opposed like religion and modernism, which are sometimes going hand in hand and produce unreal things. Like this impeccable, powerful structure.
I’d personally convert it to a library/skatepark, but that’s just me.