First Church of Christ, Scientist

CITY OF BERKELEY LANDMARK 
designated in 1975

First Church of Christ, Scientist 
Bernard R. Maybeck, Architect, 1910 
Roof replacement, accessibility, and seismic improvements: 
Architectural Resources Group and Degenkolb Engineers, 2007

Maybeck’s masterpiece is an Arts & Crafts fusion of Romanesque, early Christian,
Gothic, and Japanese architectural influences. Constructed with common industrial
materials—metal, concrete, and glass—the design expresses permanence and
integrity in design and structure. Massive diagonally crossed wood trusses
supported by four fluted concrete columns allow unobstructed views from
the congregation to the Reader stands. Skylights, translucent hammered
glass window walls, and indirect lighting create a connection between
the interior space and the adjacent landscape. The Sunday School
along the eastern side of the main church was added in 1929
by Maybeck in association with Henry Gutterson.

Berkeley Historical Plaque Project 
2007