It's Escapes Month, but in this economy and with our current one income source household (layoffs) means "getting away" is going to mostly be limited to heading over to nearby destinations like Joshua Tree, Idyllwild, and of course, the beach! We're huge fans of tide pools, so that means we're over at Abalone Cove in Palos Verdes snooping around looking for nudibranchs, star fish, and other aquatic finds. But did you know just across the street from some of the finest beaches in Southern California is an architectural destination which embodies an inspiring merging of nature and design? Neither did we, despite passing by several times the sign posts. The Lloyd Wright designed Wayfarer Chapel looks like it will be amongst our summer weekend stops...
And yes, that's Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright. The chapel was specifically designed to take advantage of the view and site, a tree chapel or organic architecture:
“I wanted particularly to allow those trees and those trunks to be seen and the space beyond and into infinity to be observed, so those who sat in the sanctuary would perceive the grandeur of space out beyond and around them.”
“The great cathedrals of redwood inspired me to use the redwoods here. In earlier days all over the face of the earth there were chapels in glades and the woods which were meeting places for the priests and the people. The Chapel was to be a place for people to meet, and think, and contemplate the forces of nature and God Almighty. The setting of this Chapel is to receive people, the wayfarers.”
Learn more about the Wayfarer's Chapel, a National Registry of Historic Places site in Palos Verdes at their website.
5755 Palos Verdes Drive South
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
(310) 377-1650
Thanks to Ally from Black Maria Gallery for the tip!
beautiful
view sofistiphunk's profile
I want to say they used this in The OC.
view Kitalita's profile
Worth a look-see. I've been there a few times.
view LBhirise's profile
Wow, how amazing would it be to get married there....
view birdablaze's profile
it's free to visit and tour, (from the picts) it super beautiful and amazing... it's just on the coast and makes me jealous that i can't go there right now. it's also open 365, so go when you're in town. (as you might be able to tell, i want to go there, it's within 1/2 an hour of disneyland - if you need an excuse...)
view pseudodesigns's profile
My parents were married there over 40 yrs ago.
view kasie_sf's profile
Yes, it was definitely used in The OC and many commercials and movies. It's gorgeous - definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.
view nlzee's profile