C.W. Post Interfaith Chapel (Brookville, New York)

 temple, church, mosque

The C.W. Post Interfaith Chapel was designed in 1968 by The Office of Alfred Shaknis & Peter S. Van Bloem of Long Island and contracted by the E.W. Howell firm at a cost of just under $4,000,000, adjusted for inflation. Coincidentally, E.W. Howell was also the contractor for Marjorie Merriweather’s estate “Hillwood” on campus back in the 1920’s. The Shaknis architecture firm is also known for their design of the nearby Roslyn Savings Bank Building which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Interfaith Chapel building was designed as a beautiful example of the classic Jeffersonian style of Georgian design mixed with Roman influence to create a grand, imposing structure. Originally, the master plans for the campus were first drawn by Bradley Delehanty (who is known for his design of Long Island residences) but the Shaknis/Van Bloem firm was called in upon his untimely death to finish the project. The Interfaith Chapel was Delehanty’s final work, having died before it was completed. The building was designed as a showpiece of the landscape design in concert with the nearby dormitories. The chapel was placed in the middle, essentially looking down to the lawn. Major wealthy families of the time such as Robert Winthrop, Augustus Riggs, Sol G. Atlas, and William Woodward provided significant monetary support to offset the construction costs. Such detailed and involved religious buildings are almost nonexistent on other campuses on Long Island, let alone the entire state of New York.

The Interfaith Chapel building is two stories tall with a grand entryway flanked by a set of stairs on each side. In concert with the traditional Jeffersonian style, the first floor of the structure is elevated above ground level. The exterior is outfitted in an orange/red brick which was also used on the other campus buildings with a silver dome. A set of massive stone columns in the Doric style mark the entrance with a pediment at top, paying homage to the designs of Jefferson for his own home and the main buildings at the University of Virginia. The whole building was modeled after traditional Roman styles, with the domed rotunda echoing the dome of the Pantheon (the bullseye windows, oculus skylight, and ceiling copied from Jefferson's "Monticello".

One of the major concepts of the Chapel was that it was interfaith; no specific religion over another was showcased. The fact that it was so grand by design made it fitting to honor all religions. The interior features a central corridor clad in walnut paneling which opens up to the flanking wings as well as the two main stairwells. This was a nod to the use of decorative wood paneling used in the other former mansions on campus. The real star of the building was the main sanctuary with its soaring rotunda. The symbols of floral medallion, a small exaggerated swirl, and a motif of circles and diamonds are used throughout the home as decorative elements. Another interesting feature to note are the bathrooms under the two stairwells on the first floor which are completely curved to accommodate the footprint of the stairs. The materials and design throughout showed the movement by the University overtime to focus on creating beautiful campus buildings over capital constraints.

Currently the building serves as the core of religious life on campus as well as a very popular destination for alumni to wed.