Description: After the demolition of Congregation Shaare Zedek’s former place of worship—a c. 1922 neoclassical building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side—a 14-story condominium building was built in its place with three stories reserved for the synagogue. RKTB designed the new space with Lance Congregation Shaare Zedek New York, NY J. Brown, Architect, to include a large and small sanctuary, a social hall, classrooms, and an outdoor terrace. Each space has a degree of flexibility that allows the community to oscillate between uses meant for service, study, and celebrations. The materials used throughout the synagogue are not only meant to evoke warmth but were carefully calibrated to integrate proper acoustics and lighting for the multi-functional purpose of each space. Elements from the original synagogue building, such as the stained glass arch and skylight, were restored and used in the Main Sanctuary as a nod to the congregation’s previous home and as displays of Judaic symbolism, both important to the end users.
Awards:
NYCxDESIGN 2026 Honor Award from Interior Design Magazine
Project Profile Award from Commercial Construction & Renovation Magazine
Excellence in Craftsmanship Award from The Queens & Bronx Building Association (QBBA)
