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Har-El Synagogue

Location: West Vancouver, B.C.
Architect: Acton Ostry Architects Inc.
Awards: 1998 Governor General's Award for Architecture

Located on an environmentally sensitive site alongside a second-growth forest, this landmark structure actually spans a salmon-spawning stream. The structural design of the synagogue required a broad range of engineering solutions in order to create a building capable of satisfying the criteria of several stakeholders: the Har El Synagogue Congregation, the City of West Vancouver, the Ministry of the Environment, Lands and Parks, and the Regional Fish and Wildlife Manager. A covenant was established to ensure the land was not disturbed and all plant and aquatic life was to remain in its natural state.

Another challenge was bringing together a variety of materials. This was accomplished through careful detailing of all joints to provide visual gaps at all exposed structure intersections. The large volume of worship space was enclosed with high life masonry walls that had to provide horizontal strength while being adequately braced to overcome problems caused by their height and slenderness. A combination of heavy internal reinforcing and imbedded structural steel elements were used to satisfy these demands. The heavy masonry walls also provide a heat sink that reduces heating and cooling requirements.