We noticed this modern little building on a recent trip to Bartlesville, Oklahoma. It's an office for the Memorial Cemetery located on Nowata Road. What caught my eye was the saddle roof (technically known as an hyperbolic paraboloid ) more commonly found on Atomic Age churches and gas stations. It seemed like a rather unique feature for such a mundane little building. B'ville has quite a few unique modern buildings. Frank Lloyd Wright's prairie skyscraper, the Price Tower , being the best known. But there are many other less celebrated structures ( see Miscellany from Bartlesville from March 6, 2008 ) that give this small city an architectural look and feel that's quite distinct. It's also interesting to note that Bartlesville was the home of Phillips 66 (now ConocoPhillips)- a company well known for space-age service stations featuring swooping roofs reminiscent of this design. Coincidence?
The Church of Tomorrow Oklahoma's state capitol dome was added some 88 years after the capitol was built, finally completed in 2002. But not far away is another dome that has been turning heads since 1956. It's the First Christian Church of Oklahoma City. Call it a wigwam, igloo, earthbound spaceship or dome- no matter how you describe the shape of the sanctuary, it's definitely eye-catching. The thin-shell concrete dome is massive, with seating for 1200. Connected to the dome is a four-story administrative building and a 185-seat theater. Dedicated as "The First Christian Church of Tomorrow," the architecture caught the attention of local newspapers, as well as Life magazine (Feb. 1957). Last summer I had a unique opportunity to explore these interesting buildings. The main complex was designed by R. Duane Conner in 1953. Conner was a member of the congregation and offered three different designs for the church. Credit is also attributed to his partner, Fr