On the site they have occupied for 50+ years, Congregation Habonim are participants in the development of their new 30,000-sf home in the base of a tall residential building. As the Synagogue’s architect, we have directed a full team of consultants in both the facility design and ongoing review of the larger multi-family structure. Initial program studies, the establishment of building system criteria, and all building-related contract negotiations with the development partner for the residences above have led to a new sanctuary design that both draws from history and looks to the future.

The new sanctuary design is circular in plan, speaking to strong community connections, and the unbroken cycle of life events, shared within this space. A level of craft speaks to the importance of creating, and the presence of the hand in the making of a new home. The proposed material language of the sanctuary space allows for a simple design to accommodate the movement into and from the space, the filtering of light, and an integrated arc.