Stanford Memorial Church
Completed August 2021
Project Overview
Stanford, California
In August 2021, Helios Art Glass was commissioned to perform stained glass restoration and architectural glass restoration at Stanford Memorial Church following a significant act of vandalism.
Glass wine bottles had been thrown through the church’s historic windows —originally fabricated by J&R Lamb Studios— with enough force to penetrate the lead and shatter all three layers of plated glass. This level of damage required comprehensive historic stained glass repair, including stained glass structural repair, lead came repair, and selective stained glass re-leading.
All recoverable fragments were carefully collected and transported to our studio, where we undertook a detailed stained glass conservation process. Each shard was cataloged and analyzed to determine its original placement within the multi-layered composition. This process—similar to assembling a complex puzzle—allowed us to preserve as much original material as possible.
Where elements were missing or beyond repair, we performed stained glass replication/reproduction, sourcing and fabricating glass to match the original color, opacity, and texture. Our approach prioritized heritage glass preservation and museum-quality stained glass conservation, ensuring the restored panels maintained both their structural integrity and historical authenticity.
Following restoration, the windows were reinstalled on-site, completing a full cycle of church window restoration carried out by experienced art glass conservators in the San Francisco Bay Area.
This project reflects our broader expertise in:
- Ecclesiastical stained glass and religious art restoration
- Historic building glass restoration
- Complex, multi-layered architectural stained glass systems
The result is a seamless restoration that returns the windows to their original brilliance while preserving their historical and cultural significance.
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