The Glasgow School of Art

Intangible Matters Public Lecture: Gunny Harboe
The Restoration of Unity Temple

Unity Temple is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most important works. Soon after its completion he said, “Unity Temple makes an entirely new architecture…and is the first expression of it. That is my contribution to modern architecture.” It was truly revolutionary and changed the way architects thought about space forever. In June of 2017 a fully restored Unity Temple was reopened to the public. The design team, led by Harboe Architects, spent nearly a year conducting in-depth research into the best ways to authentically restore and fully modernize this national treasure. The $25M restoration took over two years to complete and included all aspects of the building. Lead architect Gunny Harboe, FAIA, will present the transformative restoration that has returned this internationally significant work of architecture to its original appearance while giving it new life for its congregation and for the thousands of Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiasts who come to see it from all over the world.

As part of the Intangible Matters: Mackintosh, Authenticity and Conservation Symposium, we are pleased to welcome T. Gunny Harboe, FAIA, of Harboe Architects, PC, Chicago.

Gunny Harboe, FAIA, Fellow US/ICOMOS, is a registered architect with 30 years of experience and currently runs his own small firm. He has worked on many iconic modern masterpieces including numerous works by both Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright. He received his M. Arch. from M.I.T., (including study in Copenhagen, Denmark); a M.Sc. in Historic Preservation from Columbia University; and an A.B. in History from Brown University. He also attended the ICCROM ARC course in Rome, Italy. His projects have received numerous awards, and he was named a “2001 Young Architect” by the National AIA, “Chicagoan of the Year” by Chicago Magazine in 2010, and received the 2015 Award for Excellence in Heritage Conservation from the Society of Architectural Historians. Gunny was a founding member and is the current President of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on 20th Century Heritage, and was a founding member of DOCOMOMO_US where he remains on the board. He is also a current board member of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy and was a Regional Director of AIA National, and President of AIA Chicago. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

This event if free but ticketed.