Design. Build. Bless.
Every sacred space starts with a vision. I help you shape it — with beauty, tradition, and purpose.
Aleksandr Molodin, PhD
An architect with a graduate degree in architectural history, specializing in Orthodox church architecture in the United States. For over 20 years, I’ve been designing sacred spaces — from small roadside chapels to full parish churches — rooted in tradition and built for today’s communities.
Now based in the U.S., I focus on creating, adapting, and studying Orthodox architecture. I’ve written books on the history of Orthodox churches in America and continue to work closely with individuals and parishes to bring their vision of worship to life — with beauty, reverence, and purpose.
What Are You Looking For?
Whether you need a ready-made plan, expert adjustments, or a one-of-a-kind custom design — I’m here to help bring your vision to life.
Pre-Designed
Design Adjustments
Custom Design
Start with a Pre-Designed Chapel
Each design blends classic church aesthetics with materials from your nearest Home Depot. Fully code-compliant and ready to build—no guesswork, just grace. Work volumes are pre-calculated, and each chapel includes multiple finish options you can mix and match for a unique, personalized look. You can even preview your chapel on-site using Augmented Reality.
Model One
A simple and reliable 12′ x 12′ framed chapel that can be finished with brick veneer and decorative elements. This compact family chapel, built in the traditional tent-roof style, stands 37 feet tall with a total area of 164 square feet. Designed to accommodate up to 22 people for occasional services, it offers a graceful blend of beauty, intimacy, and timeless Orthodox character.
Coming Soon
A simple and elegant 9′ x 9′ chapel, designed to accommodate up to 10 people for occasional services. Compact enough to fit in almost any backyard, this small chapel follows traditional Russian design and fully respects the canons of the Orthodox faith. It offers a harmonious blend of sacred purpose, authenticity, and timeless spiritual presence.
Coming Soon
A 17′ x 17′ stone chapel with 288 square feet of interior space, designed to hold up to 41 people. Built in the traditional Pskov-Novgorod style, it features a helmet-shaped dome on an octagonal drum and a floor plan in the form of an equilateral Greek cross. The chapel can serve as a small parish church with an apse, or as a standalone prayer chapel without an altar.
Testimonials
The best proof of Aleksandr’s expertise lies in the words of those who have worked with him. Here are just a few of the many heartfelt testimonials from colleagues and clients…
Because of Sasha’s dedication to our vision, his attention to detail, his architectural expertise, and his commitment to follow through on all details, this chapel we have built with him brings glory to God and honors our daughter, Lily, memory eternal. — (LTC, Ret) Alex and Jessie Braszko
Aleksandr is a leading expert in Orthodox church architecture in North America. His efforts to promote the beauty of Orthodoxy in the New World are widely respected across the United States. — Igumen Nikodim (Balyasnikov), Chancellor of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA
Aleksandr Molodin is one of the foremost experts-if not the leading authority—on Orthodox church architecture in America. In addition to advanced academic training, he was raised among Russia’s sacred spaces and perceives their essence and nuance with great clarity.— William Brumfield, U.S. historian of Russian architecture and a professor at Tulane University.
Publications
Orthodox Domes of America. Vol. 1. Russian churches across the USA.
“Here is the Russian Spirit…”: One Hundred Special Places in the USA
Insights
Stories, insights, and ideas on Orthodox church design
Enjoy a stunning example of Orthodox architecture in America. Built…
Enjoy a stunning example of Orthodox architecture in America. Built in 1910, Saint John the Baptist Church in Lansford, PA, offers a notable example of early 20th-century Russian Orthodox architecture in the American Northeast. Founded in 1892 by immigrants from the Russian Empire, the parish served a growing community of…
Fresh Vision, Ancient Roots: Orthodox Architecture Reimagined Here’s a stunning…
Fresh Vision, Ancient Roots: Orthodox Architecture Reimagined Here’s a stunning example of how canonical Orthodox architecture can meet the 21st century without losing its soul. The Church of St. George the Victorious on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow is more than a monument—it’s a masterclass in blending tradition with innovation. Designed…
Real men wore pink—especially in church. In today’s world, pink…
Real men wore pink—especially in church. In today’s world, pink is often boxed in as a “girly” color. But just two centuries ago, it was the color of bravery, valor, and noble masculinity. In 18th and 19th century Russia, pink was proudly worn by soldiers—and sometimes painted on their churches….
Golden domes that dazzle—yet feel borrowed and bold. After Orthodoxy’s…
Golden domes that dazzle—yet feel borrowed and bold. After Orthodoxy’s migration south from Alaska in 1867, San Francisco became home to one of the most ambitious Russian-style cathedrals in America. Designed by émigré architect Anatoly Abramov-Neratov, the Holy Virgin Cathedral (1961–65) commands attention: five towering onion domes, glinting in 24-karat…
Frank Lloyd Wright’s final masterpiece was an Orthodox church. Few…
Frank Lloyd Wright’s final masterpiece was an Orthodox church. Few know that the swan song of America’s most iconic architect wasn’t a museum or a mansion — but an Orthodox church. Yes, that Wright — the genius behind Fallingwater and the Guggenheim. His final work wasn’t for the wealthy or…
What Do You Really Know About Asceticism? Visited the Orthodox…
What Do You Really Know About Asceticism? Visited the Orthodox skete of Holy Archangel Michael and All Angels today — a hidden monastic community tucked deep in the forest. But this wasn’t just a visit. It was a lesson in what architecture becomes when stripped of every comfort. Not long…