Churches once best expressed ethnic identity in Pittsburgh, as they did everywhere else in America, but have played a minor role in local architecture since World War II. This is one of the few postwar religious sites in Allegheny County that demands a visit, having liberated itself from denominational stereotypes while still deriving strength from architectural history. Holy Trinity uses uncompromising poured-concrete walls inside and out to evoke the ancient triconch plan of Byzantine architecture. What saves the church from being a mere pastiche of historic precedents and architectural clichés is what saved Richardson from falling into the same trap at his courthouse: a highly personalized vision coupled with the artistic authority to carry it out.
Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Cathedral
Lu Donnelly
Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Cathedral
1967–1971, John V. Tomich. 450 Maxwell Dr., Whitehall