Franz Joseph Untersee

Who was Franz Joseph Untersee?

Franz Joseph Untersee was a Swiss-American architect who designed many Roman Catholic churches throughout the eastern part of United States.

Born and educated in Glarus, Switzerland, he was sent to Germany for technical training, and after receiving his degree in architecture from Stuttgart University, returned to his native country. He served for a time as assistant to the City Architect of Bern but left to broaden the scope of his education in other cities of the continent.

In 1882, Untersee sailed for America and having established residence in Brookline, a suburb of Boston, opened an office where he continued active for forty years. He was elected to the Boston Society of Architects in 1896 and in 1901 became an Associate of the American Institute of Architects. Many of his early works were in Brookline including the old Public Bath House, the Manual Training Center and Brookline Savings Bank.

It was however in the field of church design that he was best known. Many Roman Catholic buildings of the then popular Romanesque type were built from his plans in New England and New York State.