Designed in 1905 by one of Chicago’s most famous sons, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Unity Temple is one of his most significant buildings. A church in the Oak Park neighbourhood where Wright lived and worked, he characterised it as his ‘jewel’.
When it was first constructed, Unity Temple was an eye-catching, even revolutionary piece of work, one of the world’s foremost examples of striking Cubist design. It was one of the first buildings ever to be made from poured concrete and a radical departure from previous religious architecture.
Standing proud in Oak Park about ten minutes west of the Loop, the Temple is just a brief walk from the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio. You can take a self-guided tour, and enjoy spending time looking around the neighbourhood surrounding the church where you’ll spot other examples of Wright’s architecture in the area. For light refreshments you’ll be able to stop off at the restaurants and shops nearby.
Though Wright was himself a Unitarian, it was his mother who secured the commission for him to design this new church when the congregation’s previous temple succumbed to fire. It took Wright four years to complete his work, and Unity Temple was completed in 1909.
The genius of Wright’s design is in the finer points of the building, the details which make the piece stand out. Everything from the stained glass windows to the furniture was designed by Wright’s hand. You’ll appreciate the details, such as the absence of windows on the street level in order to keep noise levels down inside the church. The stained glass windows along the edges of the roof breathe in natural light, giving the entire building a great sense of air and space. Architecture lovers who come here immediately recognise this use of space as a Frank Lloyd Wright trademark.
Unity Temple is still today run by the Unitarian Universalist Congregation and remains a fully functioning church space. It is open to the public every day, with the exception of times when occasional restoration works are being carried out. Check online before you visit to see when the Temple will be open.
