Interior of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

September 24, 2011 by 1 Comment
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church - Iconostation

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church’s Iconostasion © 2011 Bo Mackison

These photographs of the interior of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church were taken during the Wright and Like tour, June 2011.

This photo was taken from the back of the church and shows the entire Iconostasion, including the screen which shields the altar from full view. The sanctuary is only open during services when the priest is present.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church - Altar Behind Iconostation

 Altar Behind Iconostasion © 2011 Bo Mackison

Here is another view of the sanctuary behind the iconstasion.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church - Icons, Pulpit, and Lights

Icons, Pulpit, and Lights © 2011 Bo Mackison

The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church is very unusual in that it’s interior is circular. Pews from a semicircle around the sanctuary. The pulpit from which the priest speaks is on the left side of the sanctuary.

More interior photos in next post.

There are more photographs of the church, including the full exterior view of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, in earlier posts. I took these photographs in June during the Wright and Like 2011 Tour.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Her first love (to photograph) is macro-botanicals. Her second love is architecture, especially that designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

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Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Celebrates 50th Anniversary

September 23, 2011 by 2 Comments
Brass Doors and Stained Glass Entrance to Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

Brass Doors and Stained Glass Entrance © 2011 Bo Mackison

The entrance way of Annunciation Greek Orthodox has four brass embossed doors surrounded by stained glass windows. The windows depict the story of the Annunciation. If you look carefully, you can see a small red square to the lower left of the doors. This is the famous red tile with the engraved initials of Wright, signifying this is an authentic Wright design.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

Stained Glass Windows in Arches © 2011 Bo Mackison

On either side of the church are stairways leading to the lower level garden with plantings, flowers and trees. There are also entrances to the lower level of the church, once used for offices and classrooms. The church has built a second building for most of their offices, but the downstairs space continues to be utilized for small group functions.

Curving Lines

Curving Lines © 2011 Bo Mackison

I love the repeated curving lines that Wright uses at the entrance to the church. The dome’s lower concentric circle, the circular arch protecting the entrance doors, the circles of the stairway and the large circle planters all repeat the same geometric pattern.

There are more photographs, including the full exterior view of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, in the previous post.

Photos of the interior begin in the next post.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. Her first love (to photograph) is macro-botanicals. Her second love is architecture, especially that designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

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Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, a Frank Lloyd Wright Design

September 22, 2011 by 3 Comments
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church and Entrance

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church © 2011 Bo Mackison

The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s last architectural designs, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Designed by Wright in 1959 shortly before his death, the building was completed in 1961. The church is located in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee just west of the city, though often the site is incorrectly given as Milwaukee.

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church with Rose Garden

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church with Rose Garden © 2011 Bo Mackison

We visited the church in June of this year, during the Wright and Like 2011 Tour, and were able to tour and photograph both the exterior and the interior of the building. All Greek Orthodox churches have domes, and this church is no exception. I think this dome is especially lovely, matched against the bright blue summer sun.

Detail of Dome of Annunciation Church

Detail of Dome of Annunciation Church © 2011 Bo Mackison

The Church is beautifully done, both the exterior and the interior. The dome’s support is very modern in style and part of its weight rests on a concentric concrete form.

In 1958, when the leaders of the church went to Spring Green to discuss the plans of the church with Wright, they were sent away several times without any definitive answers. Finally, in desperation, the men said they had to have information about the church or they would have to consider hiring a different architect. So the story goes, Mr. Wright looked at the assembly of church leaders before him, took his coffee cup and saucer, drank the last of the coffee, and then turned the cup upside down and placed it on the saucer.

“There,” Wright said. “There is your church. Your church will resemble this cup and saucer.”

Evidently, that was enough of a plan for the men from the church, Wright went ahead with the commission, and the next time they met, Wright had plans drawn up that they could examine.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC.

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