completed in 2008 The society is housed in the historic Unitarian Meeting House, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, one of its members and the son of two of its founders. The dramatic result has been variously interpreted as the prow of a ship, a plow cutting through the prairie, and hands folded in prayer. Construction began in 1949 and was completed in 1951. Wright initially estimated $60,000 to build the church, but it cost three times that. To cut the cost, members of the congregation hauled limestone blocks for the walls. The church's "upper meeting house", the original Wright design, is characterized by its prow-like roof, covered with a blue-green standing seam copper, set with a combination of vertical and horizontal seams to emphasize the roof's shape. The roof is supported by an innovative series of hinged-arch trusses built out of two-by-four and two-by-six framing members. There is no ridge pole, although there is the appearance of one both inside and outside; the roof is effectively supported by the main roof section being counterbalanced by the extended eaves. The system allows for an interior span of without supports. The church building is recognized as one of the most innovative examples of
church architecture. In 1960, the
American Institute of Architects designated it one of 17 buildings to be retained as an example of Wright's contribution to American culture. The Meeting House was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places in 1973, before the traditional 50-year cutoff for historic buildings. In 2004, it was designated a
National Historic Landmark by the
National Park Service. Construction of a major expansion of the FUS campus, designed by Kubala Washatko Architects, was completed in 2008, adding a second, 500-seat auditorium and community spaces. Extensive repairs and restoration were also done on the historic building. This expansion conforms to strict guidelines to leave the historic parts of the grounds unaltered. Wright designed the structure around triangles, and after it was built he wrote: "As the square has always signified integrity and the sphere universality, the triangle stands for aspiration. Here is a church where the whole edifice is in the attitude of prayer." In the early 1970s, the "Friends of the Meeting House" was created in order to manage preservation of the facility.
Friends of the Meeting House, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-stock organization. Its purpose is education, assisting the congregation with preservation projects, and advocating for preservation of the building's unique features. ==Gallery==