1187 Franklin
The modern portion the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Francisco was built in the 1960s and designed by Charles Warren Callister of the architectural firm of Callister, Payne, and Rosse.
The church is a grand display of architectural beauty in its simplest form. The highlight of the Church is the elegant and historic Sanctuary, which features large, stained glass windows, dramatic chandeliers, and a stunning oak ceiling. A rear balcony with light cascading from another large stained glass window holds a rare, three-thousand pipe organ, designed by Robert Noehren, a renowned University of Michigan organist.
Outside in the courtyard is Interface by Demetrios Aristides. Aristides was born (1932) and raised in Massachusetts. His father, George Demetrios, was a classical sculptor, trained by Bourdelle, a student of Rodin. His mother, Virginia Lee Burton was the renowned author and illustrator of children’s books, including Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, and The Little House, for which she won the prestigious Caldecott prize. After graduating from Harvard College in 1953, Mr. Demetrios spent three years as an officer in the Navy and then studied at the George Demetrios School from 1956 to 1959. He studied at the University of California School of Architecture, in 1959.
The Thomas Starr King room, one of several stark but stunning spaces within the Universalist Center grounds.
Charles Warren Callister ( 1917– 2008) was an American architect based in Tiburon. He is known for the hand-crafted aesthetic and high-level design of his single-family homes and large community developments.