Brick by Brick: Fixing Saarinen's Towers. On-Location at Christ Church Lutheran, Minneapolis.
Thursday, October 30, 2025; 6:30pm

A Tale of Two Towers.

Two midwest preservation architectural firms faced similar challenges in restoring and stabilizing iconic Eliel and Eero Saarinen churches in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Columbus, Indiana.

Join Docomomo US/MN for a conversation between Angela Wolf Scott, AIA and 
Louis Joyner, AIA as they discuss the sensitive Saarinen rehabilitations undertaken in their respective cities.

​Special Thanks to The Friends of Christ Church Lutheran (FCCL) for supporting this event!

Date: Thursday, October 30, 2025
Doors Open: 6:30pm (feel free to explore the sanctuary before seating yourself)
Program Begins: 6:45pm
​Lemonade & Cookies: 8:00pm

Location: Christ Church Lutheran
3244 34th Ave S,
Minneapolis, MN 55406
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Photo by Greg Hume (Greg5030), CC BY-SA 2.5 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5>, via Wikimedia Commons
First Christian Church
Address: 531 5th St, Columbus, IN 47201
Architect: Eliel Saarinen
Opened: 1942
Courtesy MacDonald & Mack Architects
Christ Church Lutheran
Address: 3244 34th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55406
Opened:1949
Architects: Eliel Saarinen, Eero Saarinen

About the Presenters


​Angela Wolf Scott, AIA, LEED AP
​
Angela is a registered architect in Minnesota and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. She is the CEO/President and Principal Architect at MacDonald & Mack Architects. 

Angela has a dedication to our architectural heritage and an interest in the intersection between historic preservation, sustainability, and the urban environment. The combination of these interests is the core of her approach to architecture and the foundation of her career.
​
Angela is the recipient of the AIA Young Architect Award at both the state (MN) and national levels. She is also Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota teaching studio courses related to the documentation, conservation, and reuse of historic resources.

​Angela is also on the the Board of Directors for Docomomo US/MN.

Louis Joyner, AIA

Louis Joyner is an architect and principal of the firm Louis Joyner Architect, in Columbus Indiana. The scope of the firm’s work straddles the line between typical small-town commercial and residential projects, and the city’s significant works of Modern architecture.

He received his BA from New College of Florida and M. Arch. from SCI-Arc. He worked for various firms in Los Angeles and Indianapolis before starting his practice in Columbus in 2000. He has been an adjunct professor in the J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program of Indiana University Bloomington and taught Interiors at IU Bloomington.

His work related to preservation of Modern architecture in Columbus has included work on many of the city’s buildings, including: First Christian Church by Eliel and Eero Saarinen; the Miller House, North Christian Church and Irwin Union Bank by Eero Saarinen; 301 Washington Street and the Columbus Downtown Color Palette by Alexander Girard; and the Cleo Rogers Memorial Library by I.M. Pei, among others.

He spearheaded the effort that resulted in the designation of seven of Columbus’s Modern buildings as National Historic Landmarks, and is currently working on additional NHL and National Register nominations.

The recently completed restoration of the tower of Eliel and Eero Saarinen’s First Christian Church has been recognized with a Citation of Merit from Docomomo’s “Modernism in America” program, and a Restoration Award from Partners for Sacred Places “Faith and Form Awards” program.

​Louis is also chair of Indiana Modern, an affinity group of Indiana Landmarks, a group which focuses on the preservation of Modernism in Indiana.

Additional Places of Worship Events Throughout October, Presented by Docomomo US/MN:


​About Docomomo US National Tour Day:
The only national program of its kind, Tour Day is devoted to the appreciation of modern architecture in the United States. Tours and events focused on architecture and design of the Modern Movement are hosted, coast-to-coast, by Docomomo US chapters, partners, and leading voices in preservation. 
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Exceptional and inspirational places of worship built in the mid-twentieth century exist in nearly every corner of the country. They often serve as community anchors – “third places” – where people come together to pray, to celebrate, and to support one another in times of need.  
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For many, including preservationists, historians, and architecture lovers, these sites uplift and inspire regardless of religious affiliation or denomination. And yet for every soaring ceiling, contemplative ray of light, moving element of art, and stained-glass adoration, places of worship and their congregations often struggle with maintenance, reuse, and continued relevancy in an ever-changing world. 

Our thematic focus for 2025 is on the multitude of religious, spiritual and faith-based sites across the country – illuminating their distinct styles, development, and community impact. A deeper examination of this common typology furthers our understanding of Modern architecture and design in the United States.   

The creation of these uplifting structures, interiors, and landscapes often included a complex design fabric related to means of worship, rituals, and embedded iconography integral to specific denominations and storytelling. Spatial volumes, materials, light, sculpture, furniture, landscape, and decoration were intentionally designed to foster celebration and meditation.  

Today some of these sites are under threat because of underuse and surrounding development pressures. Deterioration of large structures that are overwhelming to small congregations, deferred maintenance and financial challenges are significant issues facing many historic sites. Due to the sheer number of this resource type, another challenge is documentation. 

We hope this theme encourages members of the public to seek out the midcentury churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and other places of worship in their neighborhood or across the country.