Jewish Community Center, Mainz

The Jewish community center is located in Mainz, Germany. It was designed by Manuel Herz Architects based in Basel in Cologne. The total floor area is 2.500sqm; the cost of construction was approximately 6million euros and was completed in summer 2010.

The access into the synagogue is through the main foyer. The Jewish Community Center accommodates: school rooms, office spaces, two apartments and multipurpose space.

The multipurpose space represents the social and cultural heart of the community. The main function in the Community Center is located on the ground floor.

On the right side of the entrance is dominated by a horn-like space. This horn-like space is referred to as “SHOFAR”, the ram’s horn. The based on the story of Abraham and Isaac (based on the prevented sacrificed of Isaac by his father Abraham). The Shofar symbolizes the connection and the trust between mankind and the Godly.

The concept of the shape of the building is abstractly based on the Hebrew word for blessing. The part of the building housing the synagogue is orientated towards the east and two squares or open spaces are created.

The Jewish Community Center has an internal garden, which serves for recreation and celebration. There is a public square in front of the main entrance. The integration of the Jewish Community Center into the residential neighbourhood of the “MAINZER NEUSTADT” is the perimeter block pattern which is dated back to the late 19 century.

The volume of the building is situated parallel to the streets, and its facades are in line with the existing neighbouring buildings, thus creating a contained street space.

The volume of the building is shaped in such a way that it continuously alternates between high and low points, which formulates and urbanistic response to its context. The precise articulation of this profile is informed by the terms of writing and relationship to space.

The glazed ceramic façade points to different layer of writing and scripture. Similar process of inscription or carving a pattern of a rippled and 3-dimensional surface is formed with tiles.

Qadushah is the Hebrew word for raising or blessing, whose five characters in an abstracted way articulate קדושה the profile of the building.

The spatial quality is enhanced by the transparent green glazing of the ceramic tiles, which reflects the shifting light conditions of its surroundings and displays a wide array of hues and shades

Images: Iwan Baan

Source: designboom