Originally designed by Richard Neutra in 1961 for the ministry of Robert Schuller, the Christ Cathedral Arboretum is an homage to the California car culture of the era. Schuller and Neutra originally designed the building around a radical idea: the first drive-in/walk-in church. 

LPA partnered with the Catholic Diocese of Orange and the Christ Cathedral Corporation to revitalize the aging facility, adapt it to the needs of a changing liturgy, and restore it to its former glory as a gem of mid-century Southern California modernism.

One of the first tasks for the design team was to peel away the layers of unsuccessful modifications that had obscured much of Neutra’s design over the years. With the aid of architectural historian and Neutra scholar Barbara Lemprecht, the team set about researching the building’s original character and determining appropriate steps for renovation. 

Learn more: https://lpadesignstudios.com/projects/christ-cathedral-arboretum