Precedent Analysis Essay: Draft 1

The cycle of design is dependent upon the borrowing of building styles from previous eras. These buildings that are the foundation of another design are called precedents. Precedents are used throughout the history of architecture and design to inspire those styles to come. The Crystal Cathedral is a major example of a building that is a potential precedent for the future of religious architecture.
Before the Garden Grove Cathedral existed a small “drive-in church”, founded by Rev. Robert Schuller and his wife, in Garden Grove, California. This drive-in replicated that of a drive-in movie: lots of space for parked cars and a projector screen in the front. The popularity of these services increased as word was spread. However, as the local congregation grew to be near 10,000, it was necessary to build a new church to house all of these people In 1970, Schuller approached architect Philip Johnson, asking him if he would build a larger structure. Schuller had desired to have a chapel made out of glass, to create the same drive-in interaction. This demand for a bigger church led to the design of the “Crystal Cathedral” by Johnson and his partner, John Burgee. The construction of the Garden Grove cathedral was completed and opened to the public in 1980. This church accommodates about 3000 worshippers along with 1,000 musicians. It houses the “Hour of Power”; a religious television program that is so popular, it is now international.
The crystal cathedral reaches a height of 128 feet, while spanning 415 feet in length and 207 feet in width. The exterior is constructed of silver-colored glass held in place by 16,000 white steel trusses. On the interior, the area for musicians was constructed of marble imported from Spain. The altar and pulpit are made of granite, and the 17-foot cross at the front is made from wood and 18-karat gold. Balconies are held in place by white concrete columns. The Crystal Cathedral was built with consideration to the popularity of earthquakes in California. It is designed to withstand an earthquake of 8.0 and winds up to 100 miles an hour. The spire is comprised of stainless steel prisms. The Crystal cathedral is cruciform in plan; however, the crossing lines come to a point. The interior is laid out so that the altar and pulpit are at the front, and clearly separate from the audience. There is a middle seating section with one aisle on each side, and then there are also two raised balconies, each coming from opposite points. Light is a crucial element in design, as Johnson uses a complete façade of glass. This translucency allows for the entrance of light, particularly during the daytime. This sunlight causes the Cathedral to sparkle in a sacred way. Doors behind the pulpit also open to allow sunlight as well as breezes into the space. The structure system is clear in the interior, as Johnson does not try to hide the trusses, but instead, exposes them so that light can protrude through.
The Crystal Cathedral is one building. It is a unified whole. Its parts consist of its commodity, firmness and delight. First, it accommodates the amount of people in the church congregation, and then those who travel to this church from all over the world to participate in the “Hour of Power”. It accommodates its intended function of religious worship and entertainment, providing a space for religious service. Its structure is extremely firm, as I spoke of before. The manipulative trusses make the expanded ceiling possible, while the columns provide for withstanding of earthquakes and high winds. The structural organization also has a hierarchy to it. At the front point of the church stands the altar and pulpit. This is the hearth of the church, where the most important person stands, or where the most important people sing. Then comes the court, where the people sit. The people are also given importance in this space as seating spans the entire width of the church. Last but not least, this cathedral provides delight in its appearance. It is illuminated, like the heavens, to create an extreme effect of worship upon those inside. It is also delightful in its unique difference from a typical church. The light gives the cathedral a sense of life that could not be achieved in an enclosed church, and the use of natural materials such as wood and marble achieve the virtual idea of being outside, while actually still inside.
The Crystal Cathedral pulls away from the traditional religious spaces that we have studied in history. I have complete faith that this structure that breaks the rules will have an extreme impact on other spaces. I think this abstract worship space will give way to the rise of many other contemporary cathedrals across the country, if not the world. Some may argue that this huge structure takes away from the religious tradition. However, a religion is a religion despite the place where it is worshipped. I think the Crystal Cathedral provides the community with new ideas about how to design spaces for the public, and I know this building will become a prototype for those in the future.

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