Wow Space: From Sanctuary to Soundstage in this 100-Year-Old Church
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Editorial Team
Cocktails beneath soaring marble arches. A live set in a sanctuary built to carry sound. Photos in tucked-away alcoves that guests will be posting for weeks. It’s all one unforgettable night at THIS IS RED, a nearly 100-year-old church in the Pittsburgh area owned by a creative agency of the same name.
It has been said that THIS IS RED is a church built by the people who built Pittsburgh. In the late 1800s, so many Slovak Catholic families had settled in the region to support the steel industry that they built a parish of their own. By 1927, they outgrew the original wooden structure and built the larger church that stands today. Though the church closed in 2009, it reopened its doors as an event and production venue in 2016.
The heart of the building is the sanctuary, and it is every bit as dramatic as it sounds. Hand-cut mahogany soars 54 feet overhead, solid marble arches rise 18 feet on either side, and Italian marble and original tile work catch the light at every angle. These are materials and techniques that would be nearly impossible to recreate today, and they give every gathering a sense of grandeur and history.
The church’s builders wanted every parishioner to hear the Gospel clearly, long before microphones and speakers. Their solution was a parabolic mirror set into the herringbone half dome behind the original altar, shaped to carry sound out across the room. Today, that same engineering makes the sanctuary a natural fit for live music, performances, and events that want to make an impact.
For those planning an event, a memorable night usually means juggling several spaces at once: somewhere for guests to mingle, a stage for the main moment, a backdrop for photos, and a spot for the after-party. THIS IS RED brings all of it under one roof, so the night can unfold room by room without ever having to leave the building.
“The space is AMAZING! But the owners are even better. Couldn’t be more happy with the place. So many areas to shoot. Bonus feature: they have lighting & grip equipment for rent on site! Life saver!”
– John W.
Nearly a century of craftsmanship, a room engineered for sound, and enough distinct spaces to carry a night from the first toast to last call. If you are planning your next birthday party, music video, or gala, THIS IS RED is a space your guests will be talking about long after wrap.
