Thorncrown Chapel - Steve Kennedy

 

1. Thorncrown Chapel is a chapel located in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, designed by E. Fay Jones and constructed in 1980. The design recalls the Prairie School of architecture popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright, with whom Jones was a fan.  The architectural style is Prarie School, Streamline Moderne.

   Constructed mostly of wood and other materials indigenous to northwestern Arkansas, the design minimized material transportation costs, which is good because it is located in the woods, not accessible by automobile. Though it looks like an open-air structure, the chapel is a glass-enclosed, conditioned space.

   The building was selected for the 2006 Twenty-five Year Award by the American Institute of Architects, recognizing structures that have had significant influence on the profession. The chapel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. Although being listed on the Register is a significant step for any building, it is an extraordinary milestone for the Thorncrown Chapel: buildings less than fifty years old cannot be listed on the Register unless they are of "exceptional" significance.

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