St. Benedict the African Roman Catholic Church at Open House Chicago

Eight parishes were consolidated into St. Benedict the African in the 1980s. The building was designed specifically with and for its predominantly African American community. The result is a Modernist church--named for an enslaved person in 16th-century Italy who followed Francis of Assisi--that takes inspiration from the form of traditional African huts. The round nave is surmounted by a soaring arched wooden ceiling and ample light floods in around the perimeter to sustain lush vegetation. The interior features hand-carved wooden furniture and sculpture, contemporary stained glass a 200-pound hand-woven tapestry. The Ann and Arthur Eiland Art Gallery, adjacent to the nave, displays original artwork that relates the work of the community. The church's full-immersion stone baptismal pool holds 10,000 gallons of water, making it one of the world’s largest. The main church will be open for touring.