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.  

 

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. 

 

As we conclude this year’s exploration of suburban corporate campuses, our thematic focus for 2025 shifts to 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. 

 
Selecting one topic of focus each year allows for a more in-depth discovery of the places, spaces and people that make up our modern heritage. Docomomo US incorporates the annual theme into our programming in a variety of ways. In 2025, this includes: 

 

• Collaborative events and articles with Docomomo US chapters and affiliated organizations; 
• A special edition newsletter focused on the Places of Worship theme as well as scholarly articles to be published on our website throughout the year. If you are interested in submitting an article for consideration, please contact  info@docomomo-us.org  for details; 
• Chapters and partners hosting tours that engage with the theme for our Tour Day celebration, which takes place in October; 
• Sharing images, stories, and the history of significant Places of Worship on social media and encouraging others to share by using the hashtag #placesofworship; 
• Expanding our listings of places of worship on the Explore Modern Registry.