44 min
Monument Biography, Episode 10 - Episode 10: Two Starchitects Walk into a Synagogue... Monument Biography
-
- Society & Culture
In the middle of the 20th century, two prominent Jewish communities in Philadelphia undertook major building projects in order to grow their congregations. Producer Ari Lipkis discusses how the leadership of both groups decided to recruit the top talent in modern architecture for these projects: the congregation of Beth Sholom hired Frank Lloyd Wright in 1953 to construct a massive synagogue in the suburbs, and some years later Mikveh Israel sought out Louis I. Kahn to design an innovative new building that was to be located in the historical heart of Philadelphia, a nod to the congregation’s ties to the American Revolution. While Wright’s building was eventually completed, Kahn’s ambitious project never got off the ground. These two examples highlight the potential successes—and pitfalls—of engaging individuals whom we could today describe as some of the first “starchitects” in the United States.
In the middle of the 20th century, two prominent Jewish communities in Philadelphia undertook major building projects in order to grow their congregations. Producer Ari Lipkis discusses how the leadership of both groups decided to recruit the top talent in modern architecture for these projects: the congregation of Beth Sholom hired Frank Lloyd Wright in 1953 to construct a massive synagogue in the suburbs, and some years later Mikveh Israel sought out Louis I. Kahn to design an innovative new building that was to be located in the historical heart of Philadelphia, a nod to the congregation’s ties to the American Revolution. While Wright’s building was eventually completed, Kahn’s ambitious project never got off the ground. These two examples highlight the potential successes—and pitfalls—of engaging individuals whom we could today describe as some of the first “starchitects” in the United States.
44 min