About UTRF
Unity Temple Restoration Foundation restores and preserves Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1909 masterpiece of modern architecture, Unity Temple. UTRF also advances Unity Temple’s global and contemporary significance with programming that embodies Wright’s spirit of innovation and enriches the lives of those it serves.
Restoration
Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple is one of the most innovative and imaginative structures of the twentieth century, holding a seminal and influential position in modern architecture. Wright considered Unity Temple to be one of his greatest achievements, calling it “my contribution to modern architecture.” Today, it is an international treasure, a work of art that defies borders and is valued universally. Nearly one hundred years after its dedication, Unity Temple’s defiance of convention and brilliant manipulation of light and space still inspire those who experience it.
In 1987, with great foresight and generosity, the Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation--the congregation that commissioned Wright in 1905 and still actively occupies the building--donated an interior and exterior preservation easement to Landmarks Illinois. Preservation easements are considered to be the strongest perpetual protection possible against demolition and unsympathetic alterations and additions. Importantly, the easement also requires that Unity Temple will always remain open to the public.
With the centennial of its dedication approaching, Unity Temple is at a critical crossroads. Wright’s flat-roofs, monolithic structure and experimental use of poured-in-place, reinforced concrete are among Unity Temple's greatest attributes, yet they also represent the building’s greatest vulnerabilities. Water infiltration has been continual and destructive. Malfunctioning roof drains, a cracked and spalling layer of shotcrete, and lack of a proper interior climate control system exacerbate the problem.
In 2006, Unity Temple Restoration Foundation completed the Master Plan for Restoration. The cost of a complete restoration is estimated to be $20 to $25 million. But Unity Temple’s existing community of dedicated supporters cannot provide the significant capital investment required to perform the urgent restorations. To preserve Unity Temple for future generations, we must raise awareness of its international significance and urgent needs, and broaden the universe of potential donors.
Programming
UTRF's acclaimed programming helps to achieve the organization's mission to increase awareness of Unity Temple's condition and engage and educate the public. Each year, more than 30,000 people from all over the world visit Unity Temple to experience the building, through tours, Unity Temple Concert Series, the program series "Break the Box," and "Prairie School Adventures," architecturally inspired workshops and summer camps for schoolchildren.
To learn more visit our website here.
