Synagogue
A Feasibility Study and preliminary design was undertaken for the Synagogue of Malden Bridge. I wanted to give the new building a sense of permanence by tucking it into the hill but at the same time maintain the floating quality inherent in pier construction. In the design that developed, the synagogue bridges across a light-well cut into the hillside. Large doors open to a covered outdoor space and increase the capacity during the summer months. On the opposite wall an elliptical window is filled with a pattern of stained glass. A meeting room and activities center occupies a portion of the space below; a glazed hybrid of light construction and braced panels that relies on the building above for its roof and lateral strength. The meeting room stands beside a lattice of steel columns that support the building above which seems to float between the massive support piers.
