Gallery
Heritage Site
Chapel
Lloyd Wright, Chapel Architect
Shortly after World War II, Chapel Architect Lloyd Wright, son of pioneering American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, found his inspiration for the design of The Wayfarers Chapel on a trip in the redwood forests of northern California. When he saw how the redwood trees formed a majestic cathedral-like sanctuary, he decided to use that concept as the basis for the Chapel’s design. The glass structure creates a sense of transient space, being simultaneously inside and outside. Lloyd Wright’s design is one of the foremost examples of organic architecture and has inspired many other buildings around the world. In 2023, Wayfarers Chapel became a National Historic Landmark.
Lloyd Wright, ca. 1974
A Visit with Wayfarers Chapel Architect, Lloyd Wright
Chapel Disassembly
The chapel disassembly is completed with the redwood bents removed late June 2024
Watch the LA Conservancy’s discussion “People + Places: The Way Ahead for Wayfarers Chapel” with representatives from ARG, SL Leonard & Associates, and Wayfarers Chapel. The panel discussed how the chapel was disassembled and future plans to rebuild.
View Time Lapse Video of the Disassembly Process
Short Version (Under 3 Minutes)
chapel disassembly was completed in july 2024
2025 Ongoing Site Maintenance
The city of Rancho Palos Verdes Public Works Department had growing concerns with the landslide movement towards Palos Verdes Drive South at the Heritage Site. As a preventative measure, the leadership of Wayfarers Chapel worked alongside with city officials to grade the hillside to a slope that is safe for the public. As a result of grading the hillside to a lower angle, the foundation of the chapel on the heritage site had to be removed.
Even as the landslide continues to reshape the coastline, our responsibility to the heritage site remains unwavering. We have undertaken a comprehensive stewardship effort designed to stabilize, protect and restore the ecological integrity of the land that held the Chapel for generations-now referred to as our Heritage Site, including hydroseeding with native species.
We applied a specialized blend of native grasses selected specifically to be native to the Peninsula as well as their ability to offer erosion control, habitat value and low water dependence. These species help: Knit the soil together; Slow surface water runoff; Aesthetically pleasing to the eye from the drive. To make this undertaking possible, we partnered with engineers and environmental consultants to move the mountains of soil away from the road and where possible we kept the mature trees, their root systems and long-established native shrubs.
View the Disassembly from June 2024
Photos: Architectural Resources Group
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Weddings
(Heritage Site)
Nestled in a grove of towering redwood trees, the natural sanctuary made of Palos Verdes stone, redwood, and glass was designed by architect Lloyd Wright. The Chapel’s organic architecture gives unique expression to the sanctuary as a sacred space that welcomes all wayfarers along life’s path. With its breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island, the 3.5 acres of the Chapel grounds feature beautifully landscaped gardens, trees forming arbored walkways, a reflection pool with a memorial fountain, a colonnade, a rose garden with walkways of engraved pavers, a hillside stream, and a visitors center.
Holding your ceremony at the Chapel gives you the best of all things – it is a sacred space that offers a natural, beachy/coastal, and woodsy atmosphere in close proximity to Los Angeles, the Beach Cities, and Orange County.
