Evans Woollen III (August 10, 1927 – May 17, 2016) was an American architect who is credited for introducing the Modern and the Brutalist architecture styles to his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana. Woollen, a fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA) and a graduate of the Yale School of Architecture, was active in the field from the mid-1950s to the early 2000s. He established his own architecture firm in Indianapolis in 1955 that became known as Woollen, Molzan and Partners; it dissolved in 2011. As a pacesetter among architects in the Midwest, Woollen, dubbed the dean of Indiana architects, was noted for his use of bold materials and provocative, modern designs.
Some of Woollen's most iconic projects were built in Indianapolis: Clowes Memorial Hall, the Minton-Capehart Federal Building, John J. Barton Tower, the White River Gardens Conservatory, and major additions to the Indianapolis Central Library and The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Woollen also designed several of the city's notable mid-century modern homes. In addition, Woollen and his firm planned and managed the renovation of several of the city's historic structures, including the Indiana Theatre, the Majestic Building, and Indianapolis Union Station, among others. Major projects outside of Indianapolis included the Over-the-Rhine Pilot Center in Cincinnati, Ohio; Indiana University's Musical Arts Center in Bloomington, Indiana; and the Moody Music Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Woollen was especially known for his churches and college libraries, such as Saint Andrew's Abbey Church in Cleveland, Ohio; the Cushwa-Leighton Library at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana; and the Grainger Engineering Library at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Early life and education
Evans Woollen III was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 10, 1927, to Lydia (Jameson) and Evans Woollen Jr. The Woollen family's ties to Indianapolis date from the 1840s. "Evans" was the maiden name of Woollen III's great-grandmother. Woolley III's father and grandfather, Evans Woollen Jr. and Evans Woollen Sr., were prominent Indianapolis bankers and arts patrons. Woollen was a descendant of Samuel Merrill, a former Indiana state treasurer, and Conrad Baker, a former Indiana governor.
Woollen attended Indianapolis Public Schools and took art classes at the John Herron Art Institute before transferring to The Hotchkiss School, an exclusive preparatory school in Lakeville, Connecticut, during his junior year of high school. Woollen, who later remarked that he had wanted to be an architect since his youth, studied under modern architects Philip Johnson and Louis Kahn at Yale University. In addition, Woollen trained under architects Paul Schweikher and John M. Johansen. Woollen graduated from Yale School of Architecture in 1952, earning a B.A. and an M.Arch. degree.
Woollen apprenticed at Johnson's firm in New Canaan, Connecticut, which was a center for modern architectural design at that time. Johnson was the noted modernist architect of the Glass House in New Canaan. Woollen also worked on his own for two years before establishing his practice in Indianapolis in 1955.
Marriage and family
In 1955, Woollen married Nancy Sewell, a psychotherapist, educator, and arts community leader. The Woollens settled in Indianapolis and moved into the former residence of Indianapolis architect Kurt Vonnegut Sr. on North Illinois Street in 1962. The home was also the boyhood home of Vonnegut's son, the noted author Kurt Vonnegut Jr. The Woollens were the parents of two sons, Malcolm and Ian. Nancy Sewell Woolen died in 1992.
Following Woollen's retirement from his architectural practice in Indianapolis around 2001, he moved to Boulder, Colorado, where he designed his own home.
Career
In 1955, at the age of twenty-seven, Woollen returned to his hometown of Indianapolis to establish his architecture firm, which remained in business for more than fifty-five years. Woollen initially specialized in modern residential designs, but his work soon expanded to include commercial and urban-design projects before he retired in the early 2000s.