Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Los Angeles’ oldest Jewish congregation, began construction of the Audrey Irmas Pavilion on November 11, 2018. The new addition will be a multi-use cultural, religious and event space on Wilshire Boulevard directly adjacent to the temple’s historic sanctuary in Koreatown.
     In addition to a new chapel terrace, it will include a grand ballroom, a series of meeting rooms, performance spaces and a rooftop sky garden with panoramic views. The new addition aims to provide an inspiring gathering place for the entire community, hosting both religious and cultural activities and performances.
     Rabbi Leder: "In creating the Audrey Irmas Pavilion, we sought a design that would not only create much-needed new facilities, but also embody the vision and intention of our congregation to be a dynamic part of the 21st-century spiritual and cultural conversation that is Los Angeles. We are thrilled with the dramatic, beautiful and functional design created by Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu, and can’t wait to see it realized.”
     Shohei Shigematsu: “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. 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.”
     Rem Koolhaas: “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. 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.”
     The Audrey Irmas Pavilion will be OMA’s first cultural building in Los Angeles and completion of construction is anticipated in late 2020.
     For more photos and plans, please refer to the next coming issue of Building Journal. Subscribe Building Journal E-version <click here> 





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