Vignelli Legacy
Many came to re-visit or visit for the first time Lella and Massimo Vignelli’s masterpiece, Saint Peter’s Church, in Midtown, NY. People were invited to discover elements of the church’s design related to the iconic Hellerware recently re-released by Heller Furniture and try out a variety of Vignelli-designed seating. An accompanying photo exhibition sponsored by the Vignelli Center for Design Studies displays a 2013 photography project by Gary Hustwit featuring Lella and Massimo at work in their home. This exhibition took on further resonance as May 27, 2024 marks the tenth anniversary of Massimo’s death.
Photo by Brian Hatton
Photo by Brian Hatton
Long-described by the design duo as their “most important project,” Saint Peter’s is a total design: from interiors to furniture to silver liturgical objects to graphics. Massimo’s design for the church’s impressive organ is among only a handful of architect-designed organs of the modern era. Saint Peter’s recently sustained a massive flood from a broken NYC water-main. Visitors had the opportunity to see first-hand a significant part of Saint Peter’s reconstruction.
Photo by Brian Hatton
Photo by Brian Hatton
Photo by Brian Hatton
An immensely public building, this reception gave a rare opportunity to experience the space without the hustle and bustle of the myriad programs held in an environment Massimo hailed as “more than a church.”
Photo by Brian Hatton
Photo by Brian Hatton
The reception and open house throughout the evening included remarks from Josh Owen, Vignelli Distinguished Professor of Design, Director of the Vignelli Center for Design Studies at Rochester Institute of Technology, and President of Josh Owen LLC, John Edelman, President and CEO of Heller Furniture and former CEO of Design Within Reach, Gary Hustwit, NYC-based filmmaker (Helvetica, Objectified) and visual artist and Jared R. Stahler, Senior Pastor of Saint Peter’s Church and Executive Director of The Arts and Architecture Conservancy at Saint Peter’s.
A part of NYCxDesign Festival, this event was co-presented by Saint Peter’s Church and The Arts and Architecture Conservancy at Saint Peter’s and Saint Peter’s with Heller Furniture and The Vignelli Center for Design Studies at Rochester Institute of Technology.