What a Building Does: The Hoosier Modernisms of Evans Woollen

Hoosier architect Evans Woollen (1927-2016) made a profound contribution to the built identity of Indianapolis, Indiana. Most recognized for introducing concrete Brutalism to the city, his practice was in fact surprisingly diverse, ranging from significant public buildings that are today some of the city’s most iconic structures to humble churches, single-family homes, and historic renovations. Some loved his emphatic, proudly modern buildings, while others found them challenging, severe, or even ugly, but all agreed they were boundary pushing, the handiwork of an iconoclastic architect on the cutting edge of contemporary design.

Surveying the full breadth of Woollen’s six-decade career, What a Building Does tells the complete story of this essential Midwestern practitioner for the first time: from his early years as a student of Philip Johnson and Louis Kahn; to his decision to open his practice in Indianapolis; to his later professional successes across Indiana and beyond. With a focus on ten of Woollen’s most important built works, this book explores the dynamic ideas which shaped his architecture and the complex relationship he held with Indianapolis, his hometown. Most significantly, it also discovers a multi-decade practice of empathetic, human-centered design conducted long before such ideas were mainstream.

Featuring nearly 150 new full-color photos, never-before-seen archival material, and dozens of interviews with former colleagues, clients, and friends, What a Building Does expands the narrative of modern architecture and its legacy in the American Midwest.

Phillip Cox is a writer and native Hoosier. Born in Indianapolis, his family first settled in Posey County, IN, in 1807. He now lives in New York City where he worked for the design firm Pentagram.Niall Cronin is a photographer in New York City with a focus on architecture and the built environment. Born in Indianapolis, his work has been displayed at the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art (iMOCA), Edington Gallery in Indianapolis, and published by The Financial Times, Fast Company, and Time Out.