Young Israel Ohab Zedek

Renovation Award

Building Studio Architects

Bronx, New York

This growing Modern Orthodox congregation was bursting out of its current home, a converted retail building on Riverdale’s main street. The design had to conform to a very tight budget, while giving the congregation an enlarged facility with more presence and a stronger visual identity.

Our design completely remakes their nondescript building, refacing it in stucco and stone, with a new light monitor announcing the institutional presence to the approaching traffic. The existing building is reimagined to include an entry lobby, support spaces, and a large new social hall. The sanctuary is all new too: a tall, white room flooded with natural light from twinned rooftop monitors. The centerpiece of the space is its ark, salvaged from an older synagogue nearby and restored to a place of honor.

The project’s tight budget forced us to make every gesture count, to find ways to save money while improving the design without having the result seem constrained. Each material and assembly was selected to look good, wear well, and be affordable. Our work involved not only community outreach and consensus-building. We also spearheaded pricing and project management to control costs and improve the final product.

Jury Comments

This is a great example where a rundown building has been reborn into a space that is welcoming and luminous. It has a strong sense of spirituality, and overcame many challenges to make it a reality.

Project Team Members

Michael Goldblum
Jeff Moos
Emmanuel Santos
Dyana Berthaud

Project Consultants

KPFF Engineers
Lana Noum PE PC
Pillori Associates
Hansen Becker Engineering
Dan Clayton Acoustics
Lightsmith

Photo Credit / Ashok Sinha Photography