Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, 55 East Wacker Drive, Chicago designed by Harry Weese & Associates, built in1968

Early last week the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts hosted the launch of a new book, The Architecture of Harry Weese, by the authors and architecture historians Robert Bruegmann and Kathleen Murphy Skolnik, in a building actually designed by the architect himself, the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, on East Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago.

River Cottages, 57-365 North Canal Street, Chicago, built in 1990 Built in 1968, the church is a great example of the architect's pioneering style and his significant contributions to Chicago's architectural history. During an eventful 50-year career Harry Weese (1915 - 1998) produced a large number of designs ranging from small but highly inventive houses like the ShadowCliff and River Cottages to large urban scale commissions like the Washington, D.C. Metro system.

Washington D.C. Metro system built in the late 60s

The building was host to a free lecture by Robert Bruegmann who shared extracts from the monograph to describe the legacy of Harry Weese and began with a fantastic opening by Bob Weese, the architect's younger brother and former partner at the Harry Weese Architects practice. The book co-author Kathleen Murphy Skolnick also provided an overview of the Church's history and the intricate ways Harry Weese designed each aspect of the Modern-style building.