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Location: Chicago, Illinois
Architect: Ross Barney + Jankowski Inc.
Associate Architect: Les M. Jacobs
Client: Emanuel Congregation
General Contractor: Leopardo Companies
Consultants: Dennis Kinsel (custom interiors contractor); Vector Custom Fabricating (metal fabricator)
Photographer: Steve Hall © Hedrich Blessing
The program for this renovation of a 45-year-old sanctuary called for a flexible area capable of accommodating large crowds or small gatherings. Architects removed fixed seating and converted the higher, sloping rear of the existing auditorium-style space into a raised platform that becomes the heart of the temple. Around the platform, 26 sliding translucent sailcloth scrims create a transformable tent. Panels can be drawn closed to form a sanctuary-within-sanctuary, or opened to flank the platform in its use as a stage for social events or for ritual during special services. Overhead, white Lycra® sheets forming geometric shapes float just below a black ceiling, diffusing light, enhancing acoustics, and contributing to the ethereal ambiance.
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