"A vigorous, but inspiring statement for an urban Ashkenazish Orthodox Jewish Community"
Site of the Holy Temple:
The Western Wall is a surviving remnant of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which was destroyed by Titus in 68 C.E. The temple, the center of the spiritual world, was the main conduit for the flow of Godliness into the world. When the temple stood, there was respect for God, for His Torah - and for each other. The wall therefore is a symbol of the Jewish People.
Back to Curaçao:
The solid and robust front elevation symbolizes this Wall; Through it's curvature it embraces, and guides, the faithful to the inner Sanctuary of the House of Prayer. The circular main Synagogue is emotive and highly charged with drama, and evokes a warm and sensitive religious ambiance by simple, yet powerful architectural means: Natural light has been developed into a major design feature for this space, which filters through a 10.60 m diameter skylight, to focus on the centrally placed Bima, but also plays on the curves of the interior walls. In addition, this natural light also directs attention onto the circular shaped Aron, where such significant symbols as the Arc, the Eternal Light and the Star of David read as isolated elements on the white plaster surface.
This arresting space reaffirms how potent AOB architecture's capacity is.
Synagogue for the Ashkenazish Orthodox Jewish Community
Owner:
Orthodox Jewish Community Shaarei Tsedek
Location:
Magdalenaweg, Mahaai, Curaçao Netherlands Antilles
Covered area:
892 m²
Date of Completion:
July 2005
