The Tuskegee Chapel: Paul Rudolph X Fry
The Tuskegee Chapel: Paul Rudolph x Fry & Welch examines the design, construction, and cultural significance of a landmark building at the heart of Tuskegee University. Designed by Paul Rudolph in 1960, revised by Fry & Welch in 1965, and built between 1967 and 1969, the chapel has served as a spiritual, educational, and social center for the campus community, reflecting Tuskegee’s longstanding commitment to craftsmanship, dignity, and collective purpose.
Curated by Helen Brown Bechtel in partnership with Dr. Kwesi Daniels and Roderick Fluker at Tuskegee University, and Timothy Hyde and Carrie Norman at MIT, the exhibition highlights the collaborative process that brought the chapel to life. Architectural models of the original and completed designs, full-scale brick replicas of Fry & Welch’s masonry details, and a commissioned robotically built sculpture by Tuskegee alumnus Myles Sampson illustrate the building’s material and design innovation. Sketches, correspondence, and drawings from both studios, along with a new interview with Major Holland, the last living member of Fry & Welch’s design team, provide rare insight into the partnership.
Opening in tandem with A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America, the exhibition situates the chapel within a broader story of how architecture, education, and collaboration shape Black history and community life. Together, the two exhibitions show how thoughtfully designed places can support learning, identity, and social progress across generations.
Photographs by Tuskegee alumnus Chester Higgins and architectural photographer Ezra Stoller further highlight the chapel’s enduring spiritual, social, and symbolic importance on campus.
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