This 30,000 sf temple for the Chicago Sinai Congregation includes a sanctuary, chapel, social hall, library, religious school, and support offices. Built on a tight urban site in Chicago’s Near North neighborhood, the sanctuary is elevated above street level, symbolically offering peace and tranquility. A monumental exterior stair leads up to
the second floor. The octagonal sanctuary is illuminated from above by a ring of clerestory windows supplemented by ornamental chandeliers.

Stained glass windows, inscriptions, and ecclesiastical items synthesize functional and historical forces into a contemporary expression of the faith. The exterior is clad in limestone, as is the sanctuary, with the addition of a wood ceiling.

Completed: 1997
Architect and Interior Designer: Lohan Associates