Editing Unity Temple (section)

=== Exterior ===
The temple is composed of two main structures—the auditorium to the north and Unity House to the south—connected by a low, central entrance hall.<ref name="Siry pp. 81–83" /><ref name="Sawyers y222" /><ref name="Levine p. 40" /> The arrangement allowed religious and secular activities to be kept separate.<ref name="Siry pp. 81–83" /><ref name="Inland Architect 1906 e817">{{cite magazine |date=Dec 1906 |title=Our Illustrations |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.e0000762930&seq=671 |access-date=February 3, 2025 |magazine=The Inland Architect and News Record |page=77 |via=HathiTrust |volume=LII |issue=6 }}</ref> The exterior of the auditorium section is a square measuring {{Convert|64|ft}} across and {{Convert|47|ft}} high, while Unity House measures about {{convert|90|by|50|ft}} across.<ref name="NPS p. 2" /><ref name="Ferry p. 97">{{harvnb|Ferry|1907|ps=.|page=97 }}</ref>{{Efn|{{harvnb|ps=|Oak Leaves April 27, 1907|page=102}}, cites a significantly different dimension of {{convert|90|by|40|ft}} for Unity House.}} The two-story entrance building measures {{Convert|30|by|24|ft}} across.<ref name="NPS p. 2" /> The facade is recessed {{Convert|3|ft}} from the southern edge of the site, {{Convert|18|ft}} from the western and eastern edges, and {{Convert|23|ft}} from the northern edge.<ref name="Siry p. 139" /><ref name="Sokol p. 79" />

==== Facade ====
[[File:0401 Unity Temple.jpg|thumb|Clerestory windows above the facade]]

The facade uses [[Portland cement]].<ref name="Knecht p. 173" /> To give the facade some texture, the top layer of cement was washed away, exposing bits of gravel underneath.<ref name="Oak Leaves 1964a" /><ref name="Siry p. 145" /><ref name="Kamin 2025">{{cite news |last=Kamin |first=Blair |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple: Rewriting the Rules; The modern American visionary upended tradition with this Chicago-area church, whose imposing exterior houses an airy, tranquil sanctuary. |url=https://www.wsj.com/style/design/frank-lloyd-wrights-unity-temple-rewriting-the-rules-4380677a |access-date=February 9, 2025 |work=The Wall Street Journal |issn=0099-9660 |id={{ProQuest|3161952541}} }}</ref> The wooden formwork created markings, which remained in place after the concrete had been poured. Joseph Siry described Unity Temple's exterior as a predecessor to the ''[[béton brut]]'' ("raw concrete") facades that became popular in the 1960s.<ref name="Siry p. 147">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|page=147 }}</ref> There are stair towers at each corner of the auditorium building, which measure {{convert|24.5|ft}} high and {{convert|11+2/3|by|11+2/3|ft}} across.<ref name="Siry pp. 141–142">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|pages=141–142 }}</ref> On each elevation of the facade, narrow slit windows separate the central portions of the facade from the staircase towers.<ref name="Siry pp. 141–142" /><ref name="McCarter2 p. 18">{{harvnb|McCarter et al|1997|ps=.|page=18 }}</ref>

The base of the facade, directly above the foundation walls, is thicker than the rest of the facade<ref name="Siry p. 156">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|page=156 }}</ref> and is decorated with square and rectangular moldings.<ref name="Siry p. 147" /> Above the base, the facade takes two small steps inward. On each elevation of the facade, the central portions ascend without interruption to a protruding [[window sill]],<ref name="Siry p. 156" /> situated {{Convert|22|ft}} above ground.<ref name="Oak Leaves p. 102" /><ref name="Ferry p. 97" /> There is no entrance on Lake Street; instead, there is a low wall on Kenilworth Avenue, behind which a set of stairs ascends to the entrance pavilion.<ref name="McCarter2 p. 17">{{harvnb|McCarter et al|1997|ps=.|page=17 }}</ref> The words "For the worship of God{{\}} and the service of man" are inscribed in bronze letters above the entrance pavilion's doors.<ref name="Kamin 2025" /><ref name="McCarter2 p. 17" /> There are Japanese–inspired square lanterns on the exterior, next to the entrance.<ref>{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|pages=149–150 }}</ref> Next to the Kenilworth Avenue facade, there is a [[Pier (architecture)|pier]] with [[colonnade]]s and rectangular flower boxes.<ref>{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|page=149 }}</ref>

The centers of all four elevations of the auditorium are decorated with [[clerestory]] windows, which are recessed<ref name="Sokol p. 22" /><ref name="Concrete Engineering 1907">{{Cite magazine |date=June 15, 1907 |title=Bridge Plans and Estimates Made by the State Highway Commission |magazine=Concrete Engineering |page=289 |volume=1 |issue=12 |id={{ProQuest|128383006}} }}</ref> and measure {{Convert|38|by|63|in}} across.<ref name="Kamin 1993" /> The clerestory windows have geometric patterns<ref name="Wenneker 1965" /> and are largely made of plain glass, except for white and green panes at the tops of the windows.<ref name="Siry pp. 187–188">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|pages=187–188 }}</ref> Each set of clerestory windows is flanked by six exterior columns.<ref name="Ferry p. 97" /><ref name="Siry p. 150" /> Additionally, Unity House has four columns on two of its elevations.<ref name="Siry p. 150">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|page=150 }}</ref> All of the columns were designed by Richard Bock<ref name="Schrenk p. 154" /><ref name="Siry p. 150" /> and measure {{Convert|12|ft}} tall.<ref name="Siry p. 152" /> The columns are spaced {{Convert|7|ft}} apart, aligning with the interior grid.<ref name="Siry p. 121" /> The tops of the columns are decorated with [[hollyhock]] motifs.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pitz |first=Marylynne |date=June 13, 2010 |title=A Treasure Trove of Wright |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-post-gazette-a-treasure-trove/165014334/ |access-date=February 8, 2025 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |pages=E1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-post-gazette-chicago-tours-ex/165013197/ E5] |issn=2692-6903 }}</ref> The lowest 7 feet of each column is unornamented and was cast in one piece, while the ornate {{Convert|5|ft|m|-tall|adj=mid}} upper sections were cast in four pieces.<ref name="Ferry p. 98" /><ref name="Siry p. 152" /> The [[Base (architecture)|bases]] of the columns are stepped inward, while the [[Capital (architecture)|capitals]] are stepped outward, supporting the [[cantilever]]ed roofs above.<ref name="Siry p. 156" /> The juxtaposition of the columns, and the roofs above them, may have been an allusion to older [[Classical architecture|classical-style]] and religious buildings with pillars.<ref name="Siry p. 156" /> The facade is topped by square and rectangular [[Coping (architecture)|copings]].<ref name="Siry p. 147" /> In the 2010s, lighting was installed on the ground outside the building.<ref name="Kamin x694" />

==== Roofs ====
Unlike contemporary churches, Unity Temple was designed without a spire,<ref name="Nicholas 1962" /><ref name="Siry p. 77" /> nor did it include typical church features such as a tower or an arched roof.<ref name="Cypret 1975b" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Rowley |first=Gordon E. |date=October 10, 1982 |title=Checking out what's Wright in Illinois |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-checking-out/164866859/ |access-date=February 6, 2025 |work=The San Francisco Examiner |pages=95 }}</ref> At the time of construction, church spires were increasingly outdated and were vulnerable to lightning strikes.<ref name="Siry p. 77">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|page=77 }}</ref> The temple is instead topped by 14,<ref name="Building Design & Construction 2001" /> 16,<ref name="Gauer x647" /> or 17 flat roofs.<ref name="Mendell 2000" /> These are made of [[Cinder block|cinder]] concrete, topped with lightweight cinder-concrete tiles.<ref name="Knecht p. 173" /> Each roof is composed of slabs measuring {{convert|40+2/3|ft}} wide.<ref name="Siry p. 156" /> The auditorium roof's [[eaves]] extend {{Convert|5|ft}} outward from the facade's columns,<ref name="Siry p. 155">{{harvnb|Siry|1996|ps=.|page=155 }}</ref> overhanging the adjacent lawns and paths.<ref name="Levine p. 41" /> The writer Neil Levine wrote that the cantilevered roofs created the impression that the interiors were being directed outward.<ref name="Levine p. 41">{{harvnb|Levine|1996|ps=.|page=41 }}</ref> The edges of each roof are twice as thick as the rest of the roof, creating a low [[parapet]] wall,<ref name="Siry p. 155" /> while the eaves contrast with the facade's thick base.<ref name="Siry p. 156" />