BAHÁ’Í HOUSE OF WORSHIP, WILMETTE
Known by the Bahá’í believers as “The Mother Temple of the West,” the imposing yet airy structure by Louis Bourgeois (18561930) echoes the religion’s principles of universality through its composite architecture. Readily discernible are details of Early Egyptian, Persian, Byzantine, Greek, Renaissance, and Gothic styles, fused together to create a building that transcends style. The temple’s reinforced concrete structure is concealed by a lacy envelope with delicately sculptured designs in pre-cast panels of white cement, ground quartz, and white granite aggregate, executed by John J. Early. The interior is composed of a single circular auditorium rising into a hemispherical dome. The nonagonal design of the building extends onto the surrounding landscape with nine gardens, each with a pool and a fountain. The impression inside and out is of lightness and harmony, expressed through balanced masses unified by delicate and flowing details. The temple was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. bahai.us/bahai-temple/