Rebuilding Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago
About eight years ago, I had the unique opportunity to meet Suzanne Morgan. A retired architect who was exploring an idea of opening a small (sacred space) museum in Chicago that would house a growing collection of architectural models. These models would be a place where lectures could take as well as the public visits. These religious architectural models were built with the roofs removed and at large scale of a quarter inch to a foot which means every inch will show four feet.
Suzanne had already three models already built, Unity Temple (Unitarian), St. Benedict the African (Catholic), and First St. Paul’s (Evangelical Lutheran). I was hired to continue this collection and built my first model that was Holy Family (Catholic) located here in Chicago also. This collection was building and I thought it's time to add a Greek Orthodox Church in this collection. The drawings of the Assumption (Panagia) Greek Orthodox church were found and the model making journey began.
This blog will be in word and in pictures and will describe the process and challenges that were confronted when building this wonderful structure. Holy Family was built entire out of museum board and was cut by hand with an X-acto blade. My forearms were just about to fall off and that’s about the time when a decision was made to invest in new technology, a laser cutter-engraver. It was a great decision that allowed me to make a variety of things with precision. Not only architectural models but, a niche market of sorts. Greek engraved fonts engraved that make inspired gifts that are very unique, creative and industrious.
UPDA
What has happened since this blog was written seventy months ago? I've had the opportunity to build two more large scaled models. The two new models are Perelman Sanctuary located in Willamette, Illinois and the Zoroastrian temple in Houston, Texas. All the models are displayed on the second floor at the Chicago Theological library.