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A Frank Lloyd Wright icon will rely on an energy-efficient HVAC system for better interior comfort
Frank Lloyd Wright's 1908 Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois, is considered an early Modernist masterpiece for its compact monumentality and the striking planar geometry of its cast-in-place concrete. Although its interior ranks among the great public spaces of the 20th century, it proved uncomfortable almost from the start. An advanced but poorly executed heating scheme meant noisy radiators in colder months, and the lack of air-conditioning and proper ventilation made the building a sauna in the summer.
Last year, the church's Unitarian Universalist congregation joined forces with the Unity Temple Restoration Foundation to kick off the building's first major restoration, which is slated for completion in 2009--the centennial of the building's dedication. A significant component of the $12 million to $15 million project addresses the building's HVAC problems by installing a new ground-source pump system for heating and cooling. The project will also involve repairs to the temple's reinforced-concrete structure, as well as improvements to interior woodwork, lighting, and art-glass windows; a new electrical system; and changes for ADA compliance, including the installation of an elevator.
The project team, consisting of architect Gunny Harboe of Chicago and engineers Architectural Consulting Engineers (ACE) of Oak Park, must balance the needs of the congregation with strict preservation requirements for the landmarked building, which comprises a temple, meeting hall, and entrance hall. "The original users are still occupying Unity," says Harboe, principal of Gunny Harboe Architects of Chicago. "So it must still function as a place of worship, despite the fact that it's also a major tourist attraction and one of the most significant Wright buildings in the world."
New HVAC efficiencies
In improving the building's thermal...