See a complete gallery of the stained glass on the Emil Frei tour.

St. Joan of Arch Catholic Church
5800 Oleatha Avenue - South City
Architect: A.F. & Arthur Stauder
Date: 1958

Stained Glass: Emil Frei Stained Glass Co.
Design: William Schickel

A perfectly orthodox building for 1958 - clean, spare, geometric, largely unornamented. Only two slight arches - one on the tower, one on the porch - break the rigid linearity. The grand concrete-outlined entry porch is a Modernist reinterpretation of the deep recessed archway found on some Art Deco churches. It towers over the surrounding cottages and bungalows of the deep south side.

The interior is equally clean, crisp, spare and modern. Vertical strips of windows provide the setting for a glorious display of modernist stained glass.

The Stauders were prolific St. Louis architects; other notable buildings by the duo include: