Boston Avenue United Methodist Church
Built in 1927-29, in Tulsa, OK., this is the largest Art Deco church in the world. The design of the $1.25 million edifice is credited to Adah Robinson and Bruce Goff. Robinson was an art teacher at Central High School in Tulsa, and eventually chair of the art department in the University of Tulsa. Robinson sketched the original ideas for the church. Bruce Goff, formerly one of her high school students, then took the sketches and came up with the design for the church. Officially, the architecture firm credited is Rush, Endacott and Rush where Goff apprenticed (from age 12 and became a partner in 1930). There is still some debate over who was more responsible for the building. The church credits Adah Robinson with the design of this building, while Goff experts maintain that it is clearly his design. The definitive book on the subject, Tulsa Art Deco says of that issue that "it is not the purpose of this book to offer a resolution to that controversy."
The tower soars 225 feet high. Its straight lines provide physical, visual, and philosophical linkage to the Gothic cathedrals of past ages as well as allowing the designers to indulge in the Art Deco celebration of the vertical. At the top of the tower, as well as on many of the other high points, is a stylised sculpture representing two hands raised upward in prayer. This motif is one that is echoed through out the building and is one of the areas of design that can be traced back to the early drawings by Robinson. Like many Art Deco buildings the Boston Avenue Church revelled in the use of various different building materials, so metal, glass, terra cotta, Indiana limestone and Minnesota granite can all be found.
The exterior is decorated with numerous terra cotta sculptures by the Denver sculptor, Robert Garrison, who had been a student of Adah Robinson's in Oklahoma City. These sculptures include several groups of people at prayer representing Spiritual life, Religious Education and Worship. In these groups again can be found the two hands together motif. Designs on the exterior reveal classic Art Deco styles with organic plant designs, which, like the stained glass windows were based on Oklahoma flora, most notably the tritomas and coreopsis flowers.
In 1978 the building was listed on the US National Register of Historic Places and was designated as a US National Historic Landmark in 1999. - From Wikipedia.
Boston Avenue United Methodist Church
Built in 1927-29, in Tulsa, OK., this is the largest Art Deco church in the world. The design of the $1.25 million edifice is credited to Adah Robinson and Bruce Goff. Robinson was an art teacher at Central High School in Tulsa, and eventually chair of the art department in the University of Tulsa. Robinson sketched the original ideas for the church. Bruce Goff, formerly one of her high school students, then took the sketches and came up with the design for the church. Officially, the architecture firm credited is Rush, Endacott and Rush where Goff apprenticed (from age 12 and became a partner in 1930). There is still some debate over who was more responsible for the building. The church credits Adah Robinson with the design of this building, while Goff experts maintain that it is clearly his design. The definitive book on the subject, Tulsa Art Deco says of that issue that "it is not the purpose of this book to offer a resolution to that controversy."
The tower soars 225 feet high. Its straight lines provide physical, visual, and philosophical linkage to the Gothic cathedrals of past ages as well as allowing the designers to indulge in the Art Deco celebration of the vertical. At the top of the tower, as well as on many of the other high points, is a stylised sculpture representing two hands raised upward in prayer. This motif is one that is echoed through out the building and is one of the areas of design that can be traced back to the early drawings by Robinson. Like many Art Deco buildings the Boston Avenue Church revelled in the use of various different building materials, so metal, glass, terra cotta, Indiana limestone and Minnesota granite can all be found.
The exterior is decorated with numerous terra cotta sculptures by the Denver sculptor, Robert Garrison, who had been a student of Adah Robinson's in Oklahoma City. These sculptures include several groups of people at prayer representing Spiritual life, Religious Education and Worship. In these groups again can be found the two hands together motif. Designs on the exterior reveal classic Art Deco styles with organic plant designs, which, like the stained glass windows were based on Oklahoma flora, most notably the tritomas and coreopsis flowers.
In 1978 the building was listed on the US National Register of Historic Places and was designated as a US National Historic Landmark in 1999. - From Wikipedia.