I am writing on behalf of the Oregon Fellows of the American Institute of Architects regarding Christ the King Catholic Church in Milwaukie, (“Modern Milwaukie church is getting a controversial Romanesque style makeover,” June 25). Christ The King is an important example of churches famously designed by Pietro Belluschi, one of Oregon’s most revered architects.
Belluschi is a recipient of The Gold Medal, the highest honor awarded to an architect by the American Institute of Architects. Belluschi’s entire interior is under threat of destruction and replacement with a bogus veneer of Romanesque architecture.
Each church building expresses the culture and beliefs of the era in which it is built. Yet it also carries with it an evolution of sacred architecture over centuries. Belluschi’s work is valued for his ability to capture the spirit of the times in his buildings. In this case, the church also benefitted from incomparable work by György Kepes, the acclaimed international artist who designed the elegant cross on the altar wall…