Congregation Beth Israel

This addition to a 19th-century synagogue doubles the congregation’s footprint while setting a precedent for sensitive, modern design within a historic context.

Congregation Beth Israel, located in Charlottesville, VA needed to add new educational and worship facilities to their existing 19th century building—the tenth oldest synagogue in the country. The new facilities increased the floor area three-fold.

The design, led by brwarchitects founding Principal, Bruce Wardell, FAIA, IFRAA, respects the existing structures and urban context by creating a ‘village’ of smaller structures. A modern steel and glass lattice bridges between the new and existing construction, allowing the social hall to have a dramatic view of the surrounding urban landscape—a reminder of the community in which the congregants live and worship.