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Crystal Cathedral – Philip Johnson

Photographic image

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Image 1. Exterior of the cathedral, showing organ pipes. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)
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Image 2. Exterior façade of the cathedral in night time. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)
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Image 3. Interior of the cathedral. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)
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Image 4. Seatings of the cathedral. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)
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Image 5. Interior showing water fountain, organ and podium. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)
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Image 6. Exterior reflective façade. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)
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Image 7. Close up of exterior façade. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)
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Image 8. Exterior spaces and entrance of the cathedral. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)
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Image 9. Proposed models or renderings of the cathedral before it is built. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)

Site plan

Image 10. Site Plan. (“Apartments proposed for Crystal Cathedral property in Land Deal with Greenlaw Partners of Irvine to bail Ministry out of Bankruptcy.” Apartments Proposed. Accessed October 5, 2017. http://pens-opinion.org/apartment-map.html.)
Image 11. Site Map. (“Crystal Cathedral – Data, Photos & Plans.” WikiArquitectura. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/crystal-cathedral/#lg=1&slide=2.)

Plan

upper level plan
Image 12. Upper level floor plan of the cathedral. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)
Ground Level Plan
Image 13. Ground level floor plan of the cathedral. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)

Section

Cross Section
Image 14. Section of the cathedral. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)

Elevation

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Image 15. Exterior of the cathedral. (“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.)

Sketch/diagram

Image 16. Christ Cathedral illustration. (Palmo, Rocco. “Remaking the Crystal.” Whispers in the Loggia. September 24, 2014. Accessed October 5, 2017. http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.hk/2014/09/remaking-crystal.html.)

Models

Image 17. Photo of the model. (Brown, Brigette. “This Is How to Renovate a Philip Johnson Cathedral.” Architizer. September 30, 2014. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://architizer.com/blog/how-to-renovate-a-philip-johnson-cathedral/.)

Image 18. Photo of the model. (Brown, Brigette. “This Is How to Renovate a Philip Johnson Cathedral.” Architizer. September 30, 2014. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://architizer.com/blog/how-to-renovate-a-philip-johnson-cathedral/.)

Description

Crystal Cathedral – Philip Johnson

The Crystal Cathedral is one of a kind, the religious symbolisms that associate with its form is what makes the cathedral appreciated as a building type of cathedrals. The Crystal Cathedral is star shaped, its façade is reflective seen from the outside, but the whole Cathedral is see-through with the use of glass, interlaced with white steel structures. The form and space of the building is immaculate, however its religious symbolism as a building type is even more fascinating. The openness of the cathedral created by the transparency of glasses symbolizes the openness of god and how people of god remained “transparent” and true to each other. The openness draws in sunlight, that shines and guides the people. The transparent glass panels also draw attentions to god’s creations, the sky and trees, the beautiful nature. The glass panels and steel structures could be brought by the people as donations, and the material is metaphoric for its religious symbolism. The steel structures symbolize support from god, which is carefully welded with the glass panels, which symbolizes people, in hopes that god will shine through them and they will become god’s shinning star, reflecting the goodness of god. The cathedral is praised as an “expression of our contemporary world-culture”, which breaks through the typical stereotypes of religion in architecture.

Reference material

“AD Classics: The Crystal Cathedral / Philip Johnson.” ArchDaily. November 05, 2013. Accessed October 5, 2017. https://www.archdaily.com/445618/ad-classics-the-crystal-cathedral-philip-johnson.

 

Video: (Palmo, Rocco. “Remaking the Crystal.” Whispers in the Loggia. September 24, 2014. Accessed October 5, 2017. http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.hk/2014/09/remaking-crystal.html.)

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Article from this website.

(Robles-Anderson, Erica. “The Crystal Cathedral: Architecture for Mediated Congregation.” Public Culture. January 01, 1970. Accessed October 5, 2017. http://publicculture.dukejournals.org/content/24/3_68/577.abstract.)

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