Woollen, Molzan and Partners

Woollen, Molzan and Partners

Company type	Private
Industry	Architecture, Interior design, Planning
Predecessor	Evans Woollen and Associates; Woollen Associates
Founded	1955 in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Founder	Evans Woollen III
Defunct	2011
Fate	Closed; partners joined Ratio Architects Inc.
Headquarters	Indianapolis , United States
Area served	United States (primarily Indiana and Ohio)
Key people	Evans Woollen III, Lynn Molzan, Laurence R. O'Connor, William Brady, Kevin Huse, Mike Brannan
Products	Architecture, interior design, planning services
Number of employees	9 (1990s); 4 (2006)

Woollen, Molzan and Partners (WMP) was an American architecture, interior design, and planning firm established in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1955 by Evans Woollen III. Originally operating under the names Evans Woollen and Associates and later Woollen Associates, the company maintained operations for more than fifty-five years before closing its doors in 2011. While initially concentrating on mid-century modern residential projects, WMP broadened its scope to encompass libraries, religious structures, museums, performing arts venues, both private and public housing developments, as well as correctional institutions.

Prominent Indianapolis commissions include Clowes Memorial Hall, the Minton-Capehart Federal Building, the White River Gardens Conservatory, the addition of the west entrance and atrium at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, and the Central Library expansion for the Indianapolis Public Library. Beyond Indiana, significant projects consist of the Cushwa-Leighton Library at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame; Indiana University's Musical Arts Center in Bloomington; the monastery and library at Saint Meinrad Archabbey in Spencer County; Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine Pilot Center in Ohio; as well as academic libraries at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Central Michigan University, and Asbury University. The firm’s portfolio has been extensively featured in publications and has received over twenty honors from the American Institute of Architects.

History

Established in 1955 under the name Evans Woollen and Associates (later known as Woollen Associates), the practice was incorporated as Woollen Molzan and Partners in 1982. Although relatively small in size, WMP delivered a wide variety of projects across commercial, religious, governmental, educational, and correctional sectors before ceasing operations in 2011.

Founding in Indianapolis

At age twenty-seven, Evans Woollen III (1927–2016), who completed both a B.A. and M.Arch. at Yale School of Architecture by 1952, launched his architectural firm in Indianapolis. During his time at Yale, Woollen studied under notable modern architects including Philip Johnson, Louis Kahn, Paul Schweikher, and John M. Johansen. Following an apprenticeship at Johnson’s office in New Canaan, Connecticut, he returned to Indianapolis to begin his own practice.

Partners

In 1968, Lynn Molzan from Tacoma, Washington joined Woollen’s team after starting with the firm three years earlier. The company officially became Woollen Associates that same year and later adopted the name Woollen, Molzan and Partners in 1982 upon adding additional partners. Key figures included Laurence R. O'Connor; William Brady (who joined in 1980); and Kevin Huse (joined 1985), who eventually took on the role of president. The firm remained active for over fifty years with Woollen retiring circa 2001. During the 1990s, Woollen Molzan employed as many as nine licensed architects but had reduced to four by 2006. The business dissolved in April 2011 when Molzan, Huse, and Mike Brannan transitioned to competitor Ratio Architects Inc.

Initially headquartered on Monument Circle in Indianapolis, the firm purchased and renovated the historic Majestic Building in 1980 to serve as its office space for several years. At the time of its closure, its main office was located on South Kentucky Avenue in Indianapolis.

Design projects

The firm's extensive range of work encompassed banking institutions, libraries, office complexes, churches, educational buildings, performing arts centers, and correctional facilities. Additionally, it undertook projects involving historic preservation and urban revitalization.

1960s residential designs

Woollen began by concentrating on private residences before branching out into commercial and urban design ventures. Early assignments included mid-century modern homes, such as the International-style Perlov family residence (circa 1960–63) in Indianapolis, which was featured in House and Garden magazine. The Leibman house (circa 1962–64), highlighted in both House Beautiful and House and Garden, offered a contemporary interpretation of a southern Italian farmhouse, consisting of two circular units capped with conical roofs.

1960s commercial projects

Significant early commercial commissions in Indianapolis included Fesler Hall (1962), an extension to the John Herron Art Institute, and Clowes Memorial Hall (1963), co-designed with John M. Johansen for Butler University. Both structures exhibited exposed concrete slabs typical of Brutalist architecture. Clowes Hall, a $3.5 million facility featuring a 2,200-seat concert hall for the university and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, represented the firm's inaugural major project and received praise for its daring design, leading to additional performing arts opportunities. The firm also created Marian University's library (1966), marking its first academic library commission.

The John J. Barton Tower (1967), a twenty-story building in Indianapolis, was the city's pioneering high-rise dedicated to affordable senior housing. Although some critics described it as "ungainly," it gained international acclaim for its innovative approach to public housing. The firm was responsible for designing multiple banking branches for American Fletcher National Bank (a predecessor to Chase Bank in Indianapolis) and became recognized for its religious architectural works, including Saint Thomas Aquinas Church (1968), which earned an Indiana Society of Architects award for its distinctive geometric design.

1970s commissions

Prominent projects during the 1970s included Indiana University's Musical Arts Center (1972) in Bloomington and the $20 million Minton-Capehart Federal Building (1976) in Indianapolis. The IU facility showcased Woollen's Brutalist influence with functional and storage areas arranged around a 1,500-seat opera house. The federal building also embraced Brutalist principles and featured a rainbow-hued mural by Milton Glaser at its base. While public opinion was divided—with some critics dubbing it a "pigeon coop"—architects consider it among Indianapolis's rare "cutting-edge" designs from the 1970s. The firm additionally designed the 45-room New Harmony Inn (1975) located in historic New Harmony, Indiana, along with renovating a community auditorium.

Urban-redevelopment projects

During the 1970s, urban renewal emerged as a key strategic focus for the firm. The $2.5 million Pilot Center (1972–84) in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine district marked an important milestone by introducing Woollen’s "live-in" design methodology that actively involved clients and community members. Supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Pilot Center consisted of four mixed-use buildings incorporating recreational facilities, senior housing, educational spaces, and venues for events.

The firm also spearheaded significant adaptive reuse initiatives in Indianapolis by transforming former structures such as Saint Agnes Academy, Carpenter’s Union headquarters, and Saint Vincent’s Hospital into residential apartments—thus safeguarding these buildings from demolition. The hospital renovation project, costing $3.5 million, was HUD's largest rehabilitation effort in Indiana; renamed Weyerbacher Terrace upon completion in 1975, it provided 296 rental units. This development later became integrated into Ivy Tech Community College’s campus.

1980s projects

Throughout the 1980s, the firm continued to focus extensively on churches, libraries, museums, historic restorations, and performing arts venues. Beginning in 1979, design efforts commenced at St. Meinrad Archabbey, a Benedictine monastery located in Spencer County, Indiana, notable as one of only two such institutions in the United States. The scope of work included a new monastery building, an academic library, and the restoration of the archabbey’s historic church. In Cleveland, Ohio, Saint Andrew's Abbey Church (1985–86) showcased a distinctive asymmetrical façade paired with a contemporary sanctuary featuring exposed steel and concrete surfaces.

In Indianapolis, the firm contributed to ecclesiastical architecture by designing Saint Phillip's Church (1986) and executing a modern expansion (1983–89) of Christ Church Cathedral, an iconic structure situated on Monument Circle.

The firm’s accomplishments in academic library design were recognized with awards such as the AIA/ALA Library Building Award in 1983 for the Cushwa-Leighton Library (1981–82) at Saint Mary's College. Additionally, the Grainger Engineering Library (1984) at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign received acclaim as an exemplary model for future academic libraries.

At The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the firm designed the west atrium entrance (1989) as part of a comprehensive multi-phase renovation aimed at improving visitor amenities for more than one million annual attendees. This four-story expansion incorporated gallery spaces, a gift shop, dining facilities, box office services, and an information desk.

Among prominent performing-arts commissions was the Moody Music Center (1983–90) on the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa. The firm also undertook several historic preservation projects in Indianapolis, including restorations of the Indiana Theatre, the main shed of Union Station, the Majestic Building, and Christ Church Cathedral.

1990s projects

The decade began with the completion of a significant historic renovation at Miami University's Hall Auditorium in Oxford, Ohio. The firm expanded into correctional facility design with its involvement in the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, marking Indiana’s first new prison construction in over one hundred years. Other key projects from this period included Holy Cross Lutheran Church (1990) and Saint Monica's Church (1993), both located in Indianapolis, along with a contemporary conservatory design for the White River Gardens at the Indianapolis Zoo completed in 1999.

2000–2011 projects

The addition and atrium project for Indianapolis Central Library (2007) represented Woollen Molzan’s largest undertaking and served as their final major commission before Evans Woollen III’s retirement. This project entailed restoring the historic Central Library—originally designed by Paul Philippe Cret in 1917—and constructing a six-story curved glass-and-steel addition linked by an expansive atrium space. Although commissioned in 2001, construction was suspended in 2004 due to complications and ensuing litigation. Woollen Molzan was ultimately released from direct involvement; however, their design was carried through to completion in 2007. The firm settled legal claims in 2006 for $580,000 while denying any design deficiencies; concurrently, the library paid $130,000 in fees. Structural consultants were cleared of fault by 2009, with Woollen Molzan generally regarded as not responsible.

In its concluding years, Woollen Molzan delivered several major academic projects including ACES (2001), a $21 million facility for the UIUC College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences Library and Alumni Center at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Kinlaw Library and Kirkland Learning Resources Center (2001), a $14 million development at Asbury University in Kentucky; Charles V. Park Library and Information Services Center (2002), a $50 million building at Central Michigan University; and David L. Rice Library (2006) at University of Southern Indiana. The firm’s final project was completed in 2010: a $3.4 million restoration of the historic Indianapolis City Market.

Legacy

Although a relatively small practice, Woollen, Molzan and Partners developed a wide-ranging body of work starting in 1955, with an emphasis on libraries, religious buildings, and educational facilities. It earned a reputation as one of Indianapolis's foremost modernist architecture firms. Their designs were featured extensively in publications at the local, national, and international levels.

The firm was distinguished by its daring modernist approach combined with a commitment to historic preservation, thoughtfully incorporating the surrounding environment and historical context into each project. Prominent Indianapolis landmarks still actively serving their purposes include Clowes Hall, Barton Tower, the Minton-Capehart Federal Building, White River Gardens Conservatory, and the expansion of the Indianapolis Central Library. While some contemporary works such as Minton-Capehart and Barton Tower attracted criticism, the majority received acclaim, especially Clowes Hall. Beyond Indianapolis, their significant library commissions encompassed Cushwa-Leighton Library at Saint Mary's College (Notre Dame), David L. Rice Library at University of Southern Indiana, Grainger Engineering Library at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Morris Library at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

Religious architecture included projects like the monastery and library at Saint Meinrad Archabbey in Spencer County, Indiana, as well as Saint Andrew's Abbey Church in Cleveland, Ohio. The firm also designed major performing arts venues such as Indiana University's Musical Arts Center in Bloomington and Moody Music Center at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

In addition to new construction, Woollen Molzan played a leading role in restoring and preserving historic buildings that remain functional today—examples include the Indiana Theatre (home to Indiana Repertory Theatre), Union Station, the Majestic Building, and several historic apartment complexes in Indianapolis like Blancherne, Link-Savoy, Hoosier, and Blackburn Terraces. The firm further contributed innovative mixed-use urban neighborhood designs such as Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine Pilot Center.

Honors and awards

• In 1964, Fortune recognized Clowes Hall as one of the ten most significant buildings completed between 1962 and 1964.
• The firm received more than twenty accolades from the American Institute of Architects, in addition to various national and international honors.
• American School and University magazine acknowledged the firm's work across three Architectural Portfolio competitions: Kinlaw Library and Kirkland Learning Resources Center at Asbury College (2003), Charles V. Park Library at Central Michigan University (2004), and David L. Rice Library at University of Southern Indiana (2006).

Selected projects

• ACES Library, Information and Alumni Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln, Saint Meinrad, Indiana
• Charles V. Park Library and Information Services Center, Central Michigan University
• Addition to Christ Church Cathedral (1983–89), Indianapolis
• Church of Our Lady of Loretto, Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana
• Clowes Memorial Hall, Butler University, Indianapolis
• Cushwa-Leighton Library (1981–82), Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana
• David L. Rice Library, University of Southern Indiana, Evansville
• Fesler Hall (1962), Indianapolis
• Grainger Engineering Library (1987–95), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Holy Cross Lutheran Church (1990), Indianapolis
• Restoration of Indiana Theatre (1982), Indianapolis
• Central Library expansion (2007), Indianapolis
• John J. Barton Tower (1967), Indianapolis
• Kinlaw Library, Asbury University, Wilmore, Kentucky
• Leibman residence (circa 1962–64), Indianapolis
• Majestic Building restoration (1984–91), Indianapolis
• Marian University Library (1966), Indianapolis
• Minton-Capehart Federal Building (1976), Indianapolis
• Moody Music Center (1983–90), University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
• Morris Library, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
• Musical Arts Center (1972), Indiana University, Bloomington
• New Harmony Inn (1975), New Harmony, Indiana
• Over-the-Rhine Pilot Center (1972–84), Cincinnati, Ohio
• Perlov residence (circa 1960–63), Indianapolis
• Saint Andrew's Abbey Church (1985–86), Cleveland, Ohio
• Saint Christopher's Episcopal Church, Carmel, Indiana
• Saint Maria Goretti Catholic Church, Westfield, Indiana
• Renovation of Saint Meinrad Archabbey monastery and library (1984), Spencer County, Indiana
• Saint Monica's Church (1993), Indianapolis
• Saint Phillip's Episcopal Church (1986), Indianapolis
• Saint Thomas Aquinas Church (1968), Indianapolis
• West entrance and atrium addition to The Children's Museum of Indianapolis (1989)
• Restoration of Union Station main shed (1986), Indianapolis
• University Library, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa
• Wabash Valley Correctional Facility, Carlisle, Indiana
• Hilbert Conservatory at White River Gardens, Indianapolis (1999)

External links

• Woollen, Molzan and Partners, Inc. Architectural Records, ca. 1912–2011 at the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis