Category Archives: Bethlehem Baptist Church

Architecture, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Schindler, Uncategorized

Footnote Famous

Thought you’d want to know that my article on Garrott, Schindler and the Bethlehem Baptist Church was mentioned in the new book “Building Art: The Life and Work of Frank Gehry”1 written by Paul Goldberger. It’s right there in the footnote at the bottom of page 128.
Building Art pg 128 2015-10-6

OOPS!!

Unfortunately, there are a few errors in the footnote…

Building Art pg 128 footnote 2015-10-6Mr. Goldberger says the Church was “thoroughy restored in 2014”. In fact, the Church has not been restored at all. The current owners have painted the Church in non-original colors and made a few rough patches. The Church is still waiting for restoration by sympathetic owners.

Careful readers may also notice that my last name is spelled wrong. The correct spelling is “Wallet”, one “t”.

I contacted Mr Goldberger and he kindly apologized and assured me that both would be corrected in the next edition.

Thanks to architect and friend Steve Dalton for bringing the footnote to my attention.

1 Paul Goldberger, Building Art: The Life and Work of Frank Gehry (New York, Knopf, 2015), 128

Architecture, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Schindler

From South Los Angeles to West Hollywood: James Garrott, Rudolph Schindler and the Bethlehem Baptist Church

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steve wallet architect Bethlehem Baptist Church 2015-5-18How did Schindler get hired to design the Bethlehem Baptist Church? The Afro-American Baptist congregation from South Los Angeles was not a part of his usual crowd of political activists, artists and bohemians. Schindler was not widely known and had never built a church. In 1944, in racially separated Los Angeles, it is puzzling.

In my recent research I have come across information that points to a link between Schindler and the Bethlehem Baptist congregation. In the Architecture and Design Collection at UCSB there are drawings of an earlier design for the church. They were prepared by another architect, James Garrott. Garrott’s drawings are dated May 22, 1944. Three months later, on August 31, 1944, Schindler and the church officials signed a contract for a new design. What happened in between? Continue reading From South Los Angeles to West Hollywood: James Garrott, Rudolph Schindler and the Bethlehem Baptist Church →

Architecture, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Schindler

Schindler Church Open House, part 2

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steve wallet architect Bethlehem Baptist Church Open house Handout 2014-6-17See my Schindler research at SCHINDLER INDEX

The Open House for Schindler’s Bethlehem Baptist Church was held two days ago. I had a great time talking about the building with all the Schindler fans who came. I wish I had had more time to talk to everyone.

Attached is the flyer I prepared for the event. You can download it as a pdf by clicking on the image.

Many thanks and the longest distance traveled award goes to Robert and Wendy of Austin, Texas who came out specifically to see the Church. His wonderful description of the event, with lots of great pictures, is on his blog here.

And extra, extra special thanks to my patient copy editor, Lisa Rini, for her invaluable help with the handout. I couldn’t do it without her!

Here are more pictures of the Open House, thanks to architectural historian John Crosse. Check out his Southern California Architectural History website, it’s great.

A radio program about the Open House,  by Frances Anderton of KCRW . To go directly to the story on the Church, click on the Schindler Church button, on the lower left of the media player.

Curbed LA ran two great articles on the Church. The first was an announcement about the Open House, the second is a photo tour of the Church. Photos for both articles were taken by Elizabeth Daniels Photography.

Los Angeles Magazine had a very nice article about the Church and the Open House.

KCET ran an article on the Open House on their artbound blog.

If you didn’t have a chance to attend the Open House, you can now see one of Schindler’s great designs any Sunday. Faith Build International has started regular Sunday services and everyone is welcome. Don’t miss it!

Faith Build International
services every Sunday at 11AM
at Schindler’s Bethlehem Baptist Church
4901 Compton Ave
Los Angeles, CA