Constructed around 1955, the Grace United Methodist Church Education Center was a modernist addition to the original parish, distinguished throughout by its extensive use of aluminum architectural details. Blumcraft railings, floor-to-ceiling clad windows, religious motifs, and custom-designed lighting all reflected the surrounding region’s industrial character and its close ties to the Aluminum Company of America. Set in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Allegheny-Kiski River Valley, Natrona Heights lies twenty‑three miles northeast of Pittsburgh and directly borders New Kensington, the long-established home of the Aluminum Company of America since 1891. In a community where roughly 3,000 Alcoa employees once lived and worked during the industry’s height, aluminum became a defining local material - prominently expressed in buildings such as the Grace United Methodist Church Education Center. The present pair of pendant lights are original to this interior and remained in place for nearly seventy years, illuminating the church’s educational and spiritual spaces.

Their installation also aligns with a significant moment in the designer’s American career. In 1954, the Finland House brand was acquired by the U.S. lighting manufacturer LiteCraft, which collaborated closely with Tynell through 1958. This partnership resulted in additional exhibitions during 1955 and 1956, helping to strengthen his presence in the United States.

– Jason McClelland