Temple Emanu El

About Temple Emanu El

Temple Emanu El was founded in 1947 by a congregation who desired a reform presence in the Heights area. Since its founding, Temple Emanu El has rapidly grown into what is now the epicenter of the Jewish Neighborhood. Temple Emanu El isn’t just a synagogue, it also offers an array of classes, programs, and community services. 

The Project

Faced with a demographics issue, 75% of Temple Emanu El’s members lived 20 miles away or greater. Because of this, there was a need to construct a new Jewish synagogue design that would accommodate the growing population and the synagogue’s proximity. Temple Emanu El began a search for land on which to construct their new Jewish synagogue design, and they selected an 11-acre parcel, a former nursery, and farm, at the corner of Brainard and Emery roads. Then, the synagogue design became the focus.

Our Design Process

For Temple Emanu El, we began by working with the building committee, and eventually a group of 90 members of the congregation. studioTECHNE formed focus groups to learn how Temple Emanu El worships, studies, and comes together in fellowship.

Based on this programmatic data, several conceptual Jewish synagogue design solutions were presented to the congregation. These design proposals supported Temple Emanu El’s desire for the building to act as a house of worship, a house of learning, and a house of gathering. Working with the building committee to refine concepts and ideas led us toward a Jewish synagogue design that worked to integrate the landscaping (the natural) with the building (the man-made). Sited in a residential neighborhood, we modulated the building footprint to keep its mass low and to ensure the building did not overwhelm the adjacent residential structures. Abundant landscaping provides buffering as well as connecting the building’s interior and occupants to nature. The chapel located at the south end of the building is a partially concealed circular form with protective arms encircling it. The arms shade the glass etched with passages from the Torah, but also acts as a metaphor to the ghetto period when temples and synagogues were required to be hidden from sight.