Design

 

 

Wright began the design for the Unity Temple in July 1905, before he even had the commission for the building. The program from the church building committee consisted of a sanctuary, Sunday school spaces, and secular meeting rooms.

In a chapter in his autobiography about designing the Unity Temple, Wright wrote that he first considered the philosophy of the building, questioning the preconceived architectural forms. He didn't want to design just another New England style church, but rather wrote, "let us abolish, in the act and craft of architecture, literature in anyway symbolic form whatsoever . . . why the steeple of the little white church? Why point to heaven?" He believed architecture didn't need to point, or represent, he did not want to make an allusion. The elimination of the steeple pointing to heaven, followed the Unitarian belief in salvation through finding God on earth and not in the heaven.

Wright wanted to design the building from within. "The first idea to keep a noble room in mind, and let the room shape the whole edifice, let the room inside be the edifice outside." He drew perspective drawings from the point of view of the person inhabiting the space, for example, the preacher’s view from the altar or the worshiper’s from in the pews.

Wright placed the altar at the entrance to the sanctuary instead of at the back like most other churches. He didn’t want people to leave with there backs to the preacher but rather facing him so as to foster interaction and create a connection between the parishioners and the preacher.

The only material that would fit the small budget for such a large building was concrete. It was to be one of the first buildings in America to be built of exposed concrete. In 1906 Wright called for contractors to bid on the project. He didn't get many, the ones he did get were twice the budget, and Wright finally had to convince a friend to make an acceptable bid. The outer woodwork used to cast one side was then was reused for another side. Three of the sides were identical, which kept the cost down.