Photo Credit: Darris Lee Harris Photography

North Shore Congregation Israel: Frank Memorial Hall and Rebecca K. Crown Social Hall

Eckenhoff Saunders
Religious Architecture: Renovation

Glencoe, IL

Designed by modernist Minoru Yamasaki in 1964, with a renowned postmodern addition by Hammond, Beeby and Babka, North Shore Congregation Israel is an architectural landmark situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. Frank Memorial Hall and Rebecca K. Crown Social Hall, the synagogue’s primary social gathering spaces, each tied to different architectural styles and to distinct moments in the synagogue’s history, no longer reflected or supported the vitality of congregational life.

Drawing inspiration from the original sanctuary’s botanical forms and gilded ark, Frank Hall was redesigned to extend the sanctuary’s spiritual character into this previously neutral pre-function space. Crown Hall’s design retains the dominant symmetrical geometry of the original but replaces original worn finishes with bright, durable, and acoustically sensitive ones. In lieu of a traditional ballroom ceiling, an expansive dropped plane with a twinkling starscape of lighting embraces views of the terrace, bluff, and lake.

The project reestablishes these spaces as vital venues rooted in the synagogue’s history yet responsive to present needs, transforming both into dynamic, flexible, and inspiring environments that celebrate their architectural heritage while supporting future generations.

Jury Comments

The renovation of the Frank Memorial Hall and Rebecca K. Crown Social Hall thoughtfully honors the architectural legacy of Minoru Yamasaki’s modernist sanctuary, revitalizes the interior spaces to meet the congregation’s needs for worship and celebration, and ensures that the synagogue on the edge of Lake Michigan endures as a cherished place of community.

Project Partners

IMEG Corporation
Gwen Grossman Lighting Design
Kibler-AE
Valenti
IMEG