The Synagogue for the Beth Sholom Congregation is among Frank Lloyd Wright’s last executed buildings, completed in 1959, and is the only synagogue designed by the noted architect. Our firm was challenged with providing barrier free access to the building and its two worship spaces, with minimal visible impact on the National Historic Landmark. Providing access had long been a challenge due to the building’s complex geometry and staggered floor levels. A back-of-house concrete stair was removed and the floor openings enlarged to accommodate a new ADA compliant elevator providing connection of a rear, street-level lobby with the main sanctuary, a secondary chapel, and rabbi’s offices. Achieving access to the lower level chapel required removal of a second concrete stair along with a portion of the lobby floor plate to create a suspended, dropped corridor. A new transparent wall provides fire separation of the new corridor while preserving the original line-of-site and natural lighting conditions within the lobby. Original finishes were matched in all occupied areas of disturbance, including painted concrete floors, sanded cement plaster walls, carpeting, and flush walnut doors. Wright-designed light fixtures were refurbished and reused. Original job-applied textured acoustical ceiling finishes were reproduced using custom-made tools to reproduce the historical finish pattern. Low-impact site modifications were also made to allow for ADA compliant access to the building. |