The AIA Illinois Honor Awards recognize people and projects epitomizing the contributions of the architecture profession, the transformative power of design, and the dedication of individuals to service and excellence.

 

The Louis Sullivan Award, which is the highest state honor, is selected from all other categories by jury.

 

Unity Temple Restoration, has also been added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.

 

Contributors to the Unity Temple Restoration on behalf of the Louis Sullivan Award, are as follows:

 

• Architect of Record: Thomas "Gunny" M. Harboe, FAIA; President of Harboe Architects.

• Owner: Brad White; Associate Director of Alphawood Foundation.

• Andrew Roscoe; Senior Vice President of Project Management Advisors.

• Structural Engineer: C.P. Bok; CTL Group.

• Mechanical Engineer: Mark Nussbaum; Principal, Architectural Consulting Engineers.

• Landscape Architect: Carol Yetken; Principal, CYLA Design Associates, Inc.

• General Contractor: Jack Tribbia; President of Restoration, Berglund Construction.

• Dorothy S. Krotzer: Director, Building Conservation Associates, Inc.

• Julie L. Sloan: Principal, Julie L. Sloan, LLC.

• Mark Sills: Principal, Charter Sills.

* Photographer: Tom Rossiter, Tom Rossiter Photography.

 

The nominators of the Unity Temple Restoration, summarizes the project:

 

Originally completed in 1908, Unity Temple is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s greatest works. It is an Oak Park Landmark, a National Historic Landmark and is one of the eight sites included as a serial World Heritage nomination: The 20 Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. Unity Temple was a featured work in the 1910 Wasmuth Portfolio which had a profound impact on his contemporary European architects.

 

Wright considered it one of his most important works and referred to its revolutionary spatial expression as his “contribution to modern architecture.” It is not just one of the most important early modern buildings in the United States, but in the world.

 

The restoration of Unity Temple not only returns this internationally significant work of architecture to its original appearance but gives new life to a building that will allow it to continue to successfully serve its original purpose as a house of worship for its congregation as well as a tourist destination for Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiasts from all over the world.

 

This restoration reveals once again the beauty and subtlety of the interior spaces that made it a revolutionary early work of modern architecture. It can now be experienced and interpreted in the way it was originally intended.

 

When reviewing the Unity Temple Restoration, the Jurors made the following statements:

 

• Sometimes, not seeing anything new is the highest praise for an historic restoration project. This is such a case. The challenges were many. The solutions are well described and range from extremely technical to recapturing the architect's intended spatial character of one of the 20th century's most iconic masterpieces.

 

• This restoration is remarkable and very well done. It restores the building's impact and provides clues to how it would have felt to see and experience it when new.

 

The Unity Temple Restoration Project has also been named winner of the 2019 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Chicago Vision Award.