Augustana Lutheran Church of Hyde Park at Open House Chicago

This austere mid-century church by architect Edward Dart is adjacent to the University of Chicago campus. Dart intended his creation to remind visitors of a monastery and place of retreat, with its gated interior courtyard. Behind the plain façade is a brick-and-concrete sanctuary lit by skylights above the alter, accenting the meditative space. In addition to the altar, Dart designed the singular concrete baptismal font and ambo. The church is adorned with sacred art including a large woven textile hanging from Mali, a sculpted processional cross from Cameroon, prints by Sadao Watanabe of Japan, and two large outdoor sculptures by Austrian artist Egon Weiner. Today, its modernistic interior provides the perfect setting for interfaith gatherings and art installations that bring congregation and community together. A tour is offered from the front gate through the front courtyard, then into the narthex and nave. People are welcome to explore those areas on their own, and to visit the columbarium.