Unity Temple - Oak Park, Illinois
Posted by: 
Hikenutty
N 41° 53.302 W 087° 47.815
16T E 433885 N 4637688
Unity Temple was one of Wright's favorite commissions, and was innovative both in its revolutionary style of design and use of materials.
Waymark Code: WM1VQ6
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 07/15/2007
Views: 26
"Why not, then, build a temple, not to GOD in that way—more sentimental than sense—but build a temple to man, appropriate to his uses as a meeting place, in which to study man himself for his God's sake? A modern meeting-house and good-time place.
Build a beautiful ROOM proportioned to this purpose. Make it beautiful in this simple sense. A natural building for natural Man."
— Frank Lloyd Wright. from Edgar Kaufmann and Ben Raeb, Ed. Frank Lloyd Wright: Writings and Buildings. p75-77, 81-82.
Unity Temple was among Wright's favorite commissions and continues to be a favorite with the community of Oak Park, where the building is located.
Over 100 years after the Temple was completed, this beautiful building still carries a timeless look. Its intersecting rectangular planes were revolutionary at the time it was built, but its look wasn't the only revolutionary component of the building. It was the first building constructed of steel-reinforced concrete and showed that concrete could be used for more than just utilitarian structures.
Street address:
Lake Street at Kenilworth Avenue
Oak Park, IL USA
60302
County / Borough / Parish: Cook
Year listed: 1970
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture
Periods of significance: 1900-1924
Historic function: Religious
Current function: Religious
Privately owned?: yes
Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2007 To: 12/31/2007
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
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