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Masonic Architecture

marie-sophie

Registered User
Hi to you all,

I'm a belgian student in architecture and for my master thesis, I choose to speak about freemasonry and more specificly about architecture.
I started to analyze some freemason's buildings (freemason's hall in London, the House of the Temple in Washington D.C. and the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria Virginia) and I found barely nothing about the architecture. Plans, sections, facades or just comments about the exterior design in genaral.
I came here today to know if some of you may have links, books or anything I could use to have some experts opinions about it.
Also, as I speak French, I'm sorry for my English.

I will sincerely appreciate all the help.

Marie-Sophie
 

hanzosbm

Premium Member
Hi to you all,

I'm a belgian student in architecture and for my master thesis, I choose to speak about freemasonry and more specificly about architecture.
I started to analyze some freemason's buildings (freemason's hall in London, the House of the Temple in Washington D.C. and the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria Virginia) and I found barely nothing about the architecture. Plans, sections, facades or just comments about the exterior design in genaral.
I came here today to know if some of you may have links, books or anything I could use to have some experts opinions about it.
Also, as I speak French, I'm sorry for my English.

I will sincerely appreciate all the help.

Marie-Sophie
I think what you are looking for may prove difficult. For one thing, there is no standard architecture for Masonic temples. In fact, here in the United States, very few of our temples were built specifically for the purpose. My current lodge meets in an old bowling alley.

There are some buildings (Grand Lodge buildings in particular) which were designed for the purpose and have the money to plan them as they see fit. In these, you will typically find motifs of various ancient societies. Egyptian, Jewish, Babylonian, etc. But these styles are intentionally borrowed from those other cultures.
Where Freemasonry is somewhat universal in terms of the architecture is in the layout of our lodge rooms, and to some extent, the adjoining rooms, which are used for our meetings and rituals. These generally follow a standard layout with certain standard pieces of furniture placed in the same locations. How those things are placed and the reason they are placed in such ways are related to our rituals, and therefore, unfortunately, I am not comfortable discussing them.

In short, I don't know that Freemasonry really has a distinct architectural style. I'm sorry, I know that's probably not what you wanted to hear.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
I would contact the institutions in which your are interested. Also research Egyptian revivalist architecture.
 

Brother JC

Moderating Staff
Staff Member
Some good ideas here! I’m reminded that the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania’s Masonic Temple exhibits a collection of architectural styles within, surrounded by a magnificent Norman structure.
 

Roy_

Registered User
Do you mean outsides or (also) insides? Your own country has some interesting buildings, such as the very Egyptian temple at the Lakensestraat in Brussel and the nearby Peterseliestraat (Amon Ra, also Egyptian). There's little to see on the outside of these buildings, but the inside.... There's a book about the Lakensestraat available at the shop of the Vrijmetselarij Museum, also at the Lakensestraat in Brussel, but another building.
There are similar big temples in other cities.
 

coachn

Coach John S. Nagy
Premium Member
Hi to you all,

I'm a belgian student in architecture and for my master thesis, I choose to speak about freemasonry and more specificly about architecture.
I started to analyze some freemason's buildings (freemason's hall in London, the House of the Temple in Washington D.C. and the George Washington Masonic Memorial in Alexandria Virginia) and I found barely nothing about the architecture. Plans, sections, facades or just comments about the exterior design in genaral.
I came here today to know if some of you may have links, books or anything I could use to have some experts opinions about it.
Also, as I speak French, I'm sorry for my English.

I will sincerely appreciate all the help.

Marie-Sophie
In your quest for Masonic light, please do not confuse the actors you'll find occupying the stages and sidelines with the actual set builders. They are two distinctly and widely diverse character types.

While the former acts out convincing scripts, the latter involve designers who are likely not part of the troop.
 
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