Prairie StyleUNESCO
Unity Temple
Oak Park, IllinoisCompleted 1908
About This Building
One of the first public buildings in poured concrete — still an active congregation.
Unity Temple was a pioneering work in the use of poured concrete as an architectural material. Wright designed the building for the Unitarian Universalist congregation of Oak Park after their previous church burned down in 1905. The bold geometric exterior gives way to a surprisingly warm and intimate interior flooded with natural light from art-glass skylights. The building remains an active place of worship and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.
Key Features
UNESCO World Heritage Site
First poured concrete public building
Still an active congregation
Art-glass skylights
Unity Temple, 1908
