First Unitarian Society of Madison, church building in Shorewood Hills, United States of America
The First Unitarian Society of Madison is a church building in Shorewood Hills, Wisconsin, completed in 1951 to a design by Frank Lloyd Wright. The structure is built from local limestone with sharp triangular forms and a copper roof that angles forward like the prow of a ship.
The congregation turned to Wright after losing their previous property, and he designed the building to reflect their values rather than follow a traditional church layout. It was later listed as a National Historic Landmark, one of the highest recognitions given to buildings in the United States.
The building does not look like a typical church, and that is part of the point for a congregation that has always welcomed people outside any single tradition. Visitors often notice how the angular stone walls and the open interior feel more like a gathering space than a place of worship in the conventional sense.
The building sits on a calm property in Shorewood Hills and is easy to walk around on foot. It is worth checking in advance whether a service or event is taking place, as access to the interior may be limited on those days.
Wright began the design when the congregation had little money, so the building was constructed in stages over several years rather than all at once. The auditorium was the first section to open, and the rest of the complex was completed gradually as funds became available.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
