The Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles has announced that construction has begun on its new Audrey Irmas Pavilion. OMA is spearheading the design for LA’s oldest Jewish congregation as its first project in the city. The extension will be home to a new chapel terrace as well as a grand ballroom, several meeting rooms and performance spaces, and a rooftop sky garden set against a backdrop of panoramic views.
“We are very happy to break ground on this addition to the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, a dramatic tribute to the Temple’s vitality and relevance in Los Angeles,” says OMA founding partner Rem Koolhaas. “When so many things seem to be pulling us further apart from each other, the temple is an institution that brings the city closer together in peace. I congratulate my partner Shohei for his leadership of this project, which we hope will become a home for reflection, love and community.”
“Focusing on communicating the energy of gathering and exchange, the pavilion is an active gesture, shaped by respectful moves away from the surrounding historic buildings, reaching out onto Wilshire Boulevard to create a new presence,” adds OMA partner Shohei Shigematsu. “We are thrilled to break ground on this significant project that will provide a new anchor for the Wilshire Boulevard Temple and the broader Los Angeles community.”
