Beth Sholom Synagogue
Beth Sholom Synagogue in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania is considered by many critics to be Wright’s most expressive house of worship. The structure is anchored to the ground by concrete walls that incorporate the foundation buttresses for the three steel tripod girders which support the steeply inclined walls, allowing the full upper floor freedom from internal supports. The woven walls of the sanctuary are composed of translucent layers of wire glass and plastic with air space between them for insulation. During the day, the interior is lit by natural light entering through the translucent walls overhead. At night, the entire building glows from interior artificial lighting.
Wright described the building as a „luminous Mount Sinai”, and the structural and decorative elements of the building were designed to reinforce its relationship to Jewish ceremony and events of the Jewish faith. It is said that the sanctuary of Beth Sholom Synagogue demonstrates Wright’s „unmatched capacity to translate ritual into space and experience.”
