First United Methodist
A 112-foot-high, three-legged, modern-day steeple, the Trilon, stands watch in front of the Glendale First United Methodist Church sanctuary and marks its location from a height visible across much of the city. The sanctuary itself follows a traditional, Gothic cathedral cruciform plan, with a central nave, side transepts, and a chancel expressed in a Mid-Century Modern style created by the Southern California architectural firm of Flewelling & Moody. Completed in 1961, it retains the height and monumentality of a more traditional cathedral with the tall columns and abundant stained glass you would expect. But the columns are concrete, the folded roof is made of pre-stressed concrete sheets and the minimalist exterior masonry cladding creates simple, clean vertical lines.
Glendale, Los Angeles County
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt