Is There a Christian Architecture?
An Interview with Daniel Lee
Duncan G. Stroik
January 1, 1998
Daniel Lee (dleearch@aol.com) is an architect in private practice in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, where he also serves as an elder at the Alexandria Presbyterian Church, PCA. The son of Protestant missionaries, he spent his childhood in Paris, France. Following graduation from the Mississippi School of Architecture in 1981, he completed his professional internships in the south, working with the firm of Allan Greenberg, a noted classical architect, where he served as Project Architect for numerous civic, commercial, and residential projects. Mr. Lee's office is presently completing a new 16,000 square foot Georgian manor house in Nashville, TN, among other projects.
He was interviewed last fall by Duncan Stroik, associate professor of architecture at the University of Notre Dame.
Daniel, what is your analysis of Christian architecture today?
What I sense and see in my own involvement in the religious community, and in my reading, is that most Christians cannot begin a conversation on architecture. Several years ago I met a highly regarded Christian poet, who in response to a similar question I posed, answered, "I really don't know, architecture is such an esoteric art form." Her comments surprised me but illustrate well the current state of affairs. The architecture that churches are building today is as confused as the tastes, and faith, of building committee members. Building committees, or other deciding powers, want inexpensive construction that solves basic functional needs. As they select their architect, they are often most concerned with how many churches he has designed, or whether he is well known. It would be nice if he is a believer but they are looking, first, for a safe choice. They feel inadequate to assess ...
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