Case Study: Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Evanston, Illinois

Tikkun olam means “repairing the world” in Hebrew. Most often used to refer to doing something for the public good, it became the inspiration for the design of the synagogue for both the congregation and the project team, led by Ross Barney Architects, as they designed the LEED-Platinum building. The result, according to AIA Top Ten jury member Bill Leddy, FAIA, is “a beautiful, simple, elegant link between religious values and sustainable values.”

Having a client with such clear goals was useful, says Carol Ross Barney, FAIA. “It was beautiful to take on a project and to be able to guide it with a single principle.” With a limited budget, achieving LEED Platinum wasn’t easy. “We had to make sure we got the best technologies for the budget,” Ross Barney says. “It’s a very sensible building.”