After acquiring eight acres of rural land in Mequon, Wisconsin, the Unitarian Church Council approached TKWA with ideas for a new building to house worship, fellowship and administrative activities. The congregation requested a replica of an eight-sided barn of a style constructed and used in the Mequon area during the late nineteenth century.

After determining that the octagonal shape and traditional dimensions of this type of structure were in keeping with both the space requirements of the congregation as well as the egalitarian and eclectic nature of the Unitarian style of worship, the design team conducted a survey of the few existing structures of this type remaining in the area with an eye toward proportion and authenticity. The low-lying nature of the site required extensive recontouring in order to ensure proper drainage as well as the full utilization of natural lighting. Generous dimensioning of the cupola and its windows also help to illuminate and ventilate the worship space. Massive timber framing was employed as a design element to convey a sense of strength and continuity.