New Synagogue

	The synagogue and the community center In 1938 during Kristallnacht the original synagogue was destroyed. That building by Gottfried Semper (see also his Semperoper) was in this same location. While many of the buildings in Dresden have been rebuilt to look like their originals, this modern synagogue is not a reproduction and contrasts with its Baroque neighbors in the old city. The building was shortlisted for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture in 2003.
The synagogue The sanctuary building is a cube with an internal space for worship within the cube which is delineated by a metallic textile draped from a concrete ceiling grid. This metal fabric wall creates an aura of light inside the space.
The community center A courtyard separates these two buildings but they are unified by style and cladding--precast concrete stones with sand aggregates. While the synagogue is self-contained, befitting its meditative function, the community center has a window wall and relates to the urban environment.

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