First Unitarian Church of Rochester
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The First Unitarian Church in Rochester, New York was designed by architect Louis Kahn in 1959 to replace the previous church designed in 1859 by architect Richard Upjohn, founder of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Kahn's idea of the building began with a concept sketch that represented his understanding of Unitarian aspirations, with several concentric circles surrounding a central question mark. This led, through several iterations, to the final design in which the sanctuary (where questions are raised and addressed) is surrounded by a corridor and classrooms. The problem of bringing natural light into the central space was solved by the four light towers which are perhaps the most distinctive feature of the building.
An addition completed in 1969 at the east end of the building was also designed by Kahn.
