Unity Temple is a Unitarian Universalist church in Oak Park, Illinois, and the home of the Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation. It was designed by the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and built between 1905 and 1908.
In 1905, a fire caused by a lightning strike destroyed the wood-framed Oak Park Unity Church, and architect Frank Lloyd Wright was chosen to design a new structure for the Universalist congregation.
To accommodate the needs of the congregation, Wright divided the community space from the temple space through a low, middle loggia that could be approached from either side.
Those coming for religious services would be separated from those coming for community events. This design ensured efficient use of space and controlled noise between the two main gathering areas.
To accommodate the needs of the congregation, Wright divided the community space from the temple space through a low, middle loggia that could be approached from either side.
Those coming for religious services would be separated from those coming for community events. This design ensured efficient use of space and controlled noise between the two main gathering areas.
Wright’s design is similar to the two-part design of his own studio, built a few blocks away in 1898. The two parts of the building are similar in composition and are separated by an underpass. One section is larger than the other.
Wright also drew inspiration for the Temple’s architecture from his previous work, the Larkin Administration Building. Key features derived were use of stained glass windows as well as geometric figure. But, unlike the Larkin Building, the Temple’s plan produced a perfect square, as opposed to the double-square rectangle of the Larkin.
Wright eliminated street-level windows in the temple to reduce noise from the street. Instead, he let in natural light through the stained glass windows in the roof and the battlements along the upper walls. Because congregants cannot look outside, Unity Temple’s stained glass is designed in shades of green, yellow and brown to evoke the colors of nature.