In the World, but not of It

Abstract

Robert Venturi has repeatedly noted in several interviews and conversations that his upbringing was as a Quaker. The Quakers (or the Society of Friends) have deep historic ties with the state of Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia and have had a significant presence in Venturi’s life. I propose to examine the inconspicuous and largely overlooked intersections between the Quaker aesthetics and beliefs and Venturi’s 1950 thesis project, a Chapel for the Episcopal Academy in Merion, Pennsylvania. «In the world, but not of it», Quakers have situated paradox at the core of their material culture: while the physical world was stripped of metaphysical content, craftsmanship was highly valued; while meetinghouses were never sacred spaces, they have always acted as depositories of historical and cultural genealogies. Through the lens of Quaker doctrine and aesthetics, I will examine the role of paradox in Venturi’s design for the Chapel for the Episcopal Academy.