Temple Kol Ami Worship Education Center and Gan Yaladeen Learning Center

Wall exterior.

Words from the Architect

The design concept of the Temple Kol Ami worship and learning center was to create a metaphorical 'village' in the spirit of the ancient desert communities of Masada and Jerusalem. These communities of history have architectural images connected to their extensive use of natural stone masonry and have become part of the desert landscape in which they grew. With the constraints of a very modest budget and the aspirations of capturing a grander symbolic presence, this complex's concept focused on masonry units as the primary building material to create its image and its memory of the past. Using standard 8 x 8 x 16 sand aggregate modules that were sandblasted after placement, the complex has immediately become grounded to its site. The masonry at Temple Kol Ami is used as both exterior and interior finished surface wherever it occurs.

Temple Exterior.

For the initial concept of an architecture rooted in the material, it was determined that the Temple compound's east wall facing the parking garden and street should be a gentle and sensual complex curve in plan. In section, the walls lean in and out as much as seven degrees off the vertical orientation. This one stroke gives great character, order and magic to the architecture. The beginning of this idea can be seen in the east wall of the sanctuary of the completed phase one. All masonry courses on the east wall of this room follow the large sweeping compound curves of its plan and offset one half inch per course inward. This uniquely complex wall gives the sanctuary a very simple yet sculptural form and transforms the interior as well into a powerful space. This '3-D' geometrical move and the power of the room's masonry presence is further enhanced by both the glow and slashes of natural sunlight which energize the space from the north/south clerestory in the 'butterfly' like ceiling form. The room is given additional character by a carefully placed square window at the ceiling on the south wall, and by the cherry wood ark containing the torah scrolls, bridging the east wall's masonry void. The room also features a long low (4' high floor to lintel) garden window on the north wall, generating the sensation of unbelievable weight; the masonry lintel spans 28 feet.

Temple interior.

The second important major masonry detail in the Temple's concept is the random offset placement of each block in the vertical rectilinear walls of the complex. This detail gives the walls a stone-like quality without resorting to a 'split face' decorative strategy. This method of offsetting the block, randomly from the inside face outward, minimized ledger placement difficulties and allows the inside face of the walls to become an honest and interesting celebration of the masonry construction strategy. With these face offsets, the walls seem to come alive as ever-changing shadow patterns enliven their surfaces each day under the desert sun.

Walkway exterior.

Canopy.

Credits

• Text, courtesy of the architect
• Photographs: Bill Timmerman

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