Page 47 - ArchitectureDC_Spring2015

Lobby, with main entrance beyond. Close-up of one of the masonry panels bearing natural imagery
associated with Jewish holidays.
Project: Congregation Kol Shalom, Rockville, MD
Close-up of one of the fritted glass panels
Architects: Shinberg.Levinas Architects at either side of the entry, showing the pattern
Lighting Designers: ICON of Hebrew letters.
Structural Engineers: Shemro Engineering
MEP Engineers: Capitol Engineering Group
Civil Engineers: Macris, Hendricks and Glascock
General Contractor: Forrester Construction Company

asked the architects for a new synagogue that was humble yet
inspirational. It should provide a sense of protection but must be
welcoming. The building should also be “connected to nature,”
not only by virtue of high standards in sustainable design, but also
through its architectural expression.

The finished building consists of two wings, with the sanctuary
and administrative offices occupying a wing running roughly
parallel to the main road. The second wing, extending toward the
southwest at an obtuse angle in plan, houses classrooms for the
synagogue’s religious school for children in grades K-7. The current
sanctuary is considered temporary: the congregation hopes to expand
the building eastward at a later date, adding a new sanctuary and
converting the current space into a social hall.

The long masonry walls lining the two wings address several
of the congregation’s goals. Their opacity, for instance, creates a
sense of protection and enclosure, thus fostering an inward focus

SYMBOL OF FAITH 45