Unity Temple, Chicago

Commissioned in 1905 after the original Oak Park Unity Church was destroyed by fire, Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple stands as a seminal work in American architecture and a crown jewel among Wright’s numerous designs during his Chicago years. The commission for Unity Temple not only provided Wright an opportunity to work closely with a community he was intimately connected with—given his family’s Unitarian background and his own marriage in his uncle’s Unitarian parish—but also to embody the Unitarian virtues of unity, truth, beauty, simplicity, freedom, and reason in his design.

Wright's architectural response was revolutionary, eschewing traditional ecclesiastic designs in favor of a form that was entirely new. He chose reinforced concrete as the primary material, citing budget constraints with the church’s modest fund of $45,000. However, this material choice also allowed Wright to explore the plasticity and versatility of concrete, employing it in innovative ways that would define the building’s unique aesthetic. The structure’s exterior is characterized by a monolithic cubic form, topped with a flat roof and marked by a series of high clerestory windows set back behind decorative piers. These features give Unity Temple its fortress-like appearance, with an almost hidden entryway that leads from a modest doorway into a transformative interior space.

Inside, Unity Temple reveals its true splendor. The sanctuary, which is accessed through a complex entry sequence contrasting with the straightforward entry into the adjoining Unity House, is both majestic and intimate. The space is defined by its elevated coffered ceiling supported by a continuous band of Wright’s signature art glass clerestory windows, allowing soft, natural light to permeate the room and highlight its geometric proportions. The absence of traditional religious iconography and the emphasis on geometric harmony and warm colors emphasize the Unitarian values of inclusivity and intellectual spirituality.

Dedicated in September 1909 and later renamed Unity Temple to reflect its unique architectural and spiritual identity, the building surpassed its initial budget, ultimately costing nearly double the original estimate due to unforeseen construction challenges. Despite these financial overruns, Unity Temple remains one of Wright’s most celebrated works. In recognition of its profound impact on the development of modern architecture, Unity Temple was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.