The Gale Family
The lot upon which Unity Temple was constructed was purchased from a prominent congregation member, Edwin O. Gale. The Gale family had deep roots in Chicago and the Oak Park area and a much stronger
A Personal Perspective on Unity Temple
“Architects may come, and architects may go, and never change your point of view. When I run dry, I’ll stop awhile and think of you.” Poet and songwriter Paul Simon, from So long, Frank Lloyd
Wright’s use of Froebel Blocks
For anyone wanting to broaden their understanding of Frank Lloyd Wright’s design philosophy and techniques, I highly recommend an important book: Inventing Kindergarten by Norman Brosterman (Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1997). I think the book
Post Office Neighbor
When Unity Temple was constructed, it was surrounded by houses with the exception of the First Congregational Church and Scoville Institute across the street. Oak Park was experiencing rapid growth during the time Unity Temple
Roberts & Wright Collaborations
Charles Roberts had many interests and activities: inventor, manufacturer, educator, and musician to name but a few. Of these wide ranging activities, his role as chair of the building committee following the 1905 fire that
Hillside at Taliesin
Until Covid-19, I worked for 25 years in various capacities at Taliesin Preservation, including as its historian. When asked to write something here, I remembered the connection between Unity Temple and the Hillside Home School
Two for One: Memories of Unity Temple
As a preservation architect who was raised in Oak Park, it is impossible NOT to have memories of Unity Temple. So, I’ll share a “two for one” memory. In the early years of practice as
Victorian Society of America
As Director of the Victorian Society in America Chicago Summer School program, I have the opportunity to visit many unforgettable buildings in Chicago and the surrounding area. There are several “must see” sites on this
Two Fires Produce Two New Churches
It is easy to find contrasting architectural styles throughout Oak Park. The starkest contrasts are often between the steeply peaked roofs and turrets of Victorian structures and the horizontal lines of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie
Unity Temple – A Visual Interpretation
I was invited to photograph Unity Temple in Oak Park a year ago by Heidi Ruehle, Executive Director of the Unity Temple Restoration Foundation, at the annual Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy conference. I took
The Wrights and Augusta Chapin
It is well known that Frank Lloyd Wright came from a family of Unitarians and that he designed Unity Temple while he was living in Oak Park in the home he designed located on Forest
How Did He Dream It?
Contributor Peggy Lami was captured on a first visit to Unity Temple in March of 1985, leading to decades of Wright+ station tours, custom group tours, docent training lectures, and Froebel Blocks workshops. Scroll through
Who Was Edward Ehrman?
On June 9, 1905, only five days after the fire which destroyed the old Unity Church, the congregation voted unanimously to build a new edifice. The committee on the construction of the new church was
The Noble Room
I had been involved with the Wright Home and Studio pretty much since square one and had just served a few months on its Board when I was elected to the Village Board in 1977.
In the Beginning
In the BeginningSometime in the late Spring of 1975, I began leading tours at Unity Temple. It was shortly after what is now the Frank Lloyd Trust had begun restoring the Home & Studio. In
“Cement Gun” Invention
Shotcrete was used to repair the concrete façade of Unity Temple in the 1970s and again during the recent restoration completed in 2017. This product has an interesting local history. The original dry version of
A Temple Made of Light
Wood, concrete, steel, and glass.If someone were to ask you what a building is constructed from, these are the likely the first elements that would come to mind. In a Frank Lloyd Wright work, however,
Cloisters of Unity Temple
Wright is much like a cinematographer in the way he evokes emotions with architecture. This is nowhere more evident than at Unity Temple where his “path of discovery” and “compression and release” techniques are used
Tendai Buddhist Experience Unity Temple
I served on the Board of Directors for about ten years of the late 80’s into the 90’s; primarily keeping an eye on marketing, publications and institutional branding.Together, the Board decided to focus on Wright’s
Emerson, Wright, and Unity Temple
Unity Temple anecdote—November, 2020Many of us longtime interpreters at the Home & Studio and at Unity Temple have stories to tell about exceptional tour experiences. A memorable one for me happened in the spring of
Lost Letters at Unity Temple
Ten years ago, on September 30th, it was discovered that the epigram "FOR THE WORSHIP OF GOD AND THE SERVICE OF MAN" on the exterior of Unity had been vandalized. Of a total of 72
Unity Temple and the Klesert House
There is an interesting connection between UNITY TEMPLE and a house that will be featured on Wright Plus 2021, the John Klesert House. The Klesert House, located at 517 Keystone Avenue in River Forest, was
Is Unity Temple a Music Box?
Edward Lifson and Tim Samuelson once lectured in the Unity Temple cube to discuss its formation. They wondered: Instead of simply describing concrete masses grouped around an energized central space, what if the structure could
Unity Temple as New Future for Architecture
Unity Temple holds a unique place in the development of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture. It is simultaneously an accomplished representative of architectural conventions and a triumphant overture to a new architecture. The equal-armed cross imbedded