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Unity Temple is in need of a great deal of attention and care. As we approach the centennial of the building’s dedication in 2009, there is grave concern about the building’s condition and the building has been listed on urgent watch lists by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois.
Wright’s use of reinforced concrete was well ahead of its time and well ahead of understanding the material’s basic engineering constraints. A century after the building was poured in place, we now understand that concrete is a material that demands exacting science. At Unity Temple, time, water and temperature are taking their toll, particularly to the walls and parapets, which exhibit extensive cracking.
In 1973, Mr. Wright’s son Lloyd, a gifted architect, as well, supervised a masterful application of shotcrete to the exterior but the problems that were covered at that time have started to present again.
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