kister scheithauer gross architekten: ulm synagogue

‘ulm synagogue’ by kister scheithauer gross architekten, ulm, germanyimage © christian richtersall images courtesy of kister scheithauer gross architekten

taking first place in the competition to design the new ‘ulm synagogue’ for the orthodox community of weinhof, cologne-nased practice kister scheithauer gross architekten recently handed the project over to the public after 20 months of construction. located in a historically sensitive site, just a few meters from the original temple which was destroyed during kristallnacht of 1938, the simple and powerful cube sits 24 meters wide, 16 meters deep and 12 meters high and includes not only a place of worship but also a community center. the new structure contains a foyer, synagogue, mikvah, meeting hall, school, administrative rooms, child day care center and an enclosed outdoor playing area located above the sacral chamber, all organized orthogonally except for the synagogue itself, which is arranged in a diagonal axis facing the southeast corner of the building, facing jerusalem. that same corner of the house created an opportunity for a unique illumination, using a high-pressure water jet to perforate 600 holes into the block playing with the tessellated pattern of the start of david, illuminating the interior torah shrine.

main synagogue spaceimage © christian richters

interior of the shrine, illuminated by the star of david perforations in the wallimage © christian richters

view towards the historical sitesimage © christian richters

image © christian richters

perforated wall faces jerusalemimage © christian richters

glowing fenestration at nightimage © christian richters

image © christian richters

site plan

project info:

structural analysis: dr.-ing. w.naumann & partner, kölnthermo gravimetric analysis: zwp ag, kölnacoustics: isrw dr.-ing. klapdor gmbh, düsseldorfbuilding physics: ing.-büro für bauphysik heinrichs, kölnfire safety: bft cognos, aachencompetition: 11/2009performance time: 2010-2012start of construction: 03/2011completion: 12/2012gross floor space: 1.980 m²performance phases: 1 – 4 plus artistic direction and master detailsconstruction costs: 4.6 million euros