Am Shalom
Glencoe, Illinois
60,000 sf
AIA Illinois Crombie Taylor Special Recognition for Preservation and Restoration (2010)
First Place, ASID Design Excellence Award – Institutional Category (2006)
Am Shalom challenged Eckenhoff Saunders to renovate and expand its facilities without adding volume to the building. Through close collaboration with the client and consultant team, Eckenhoff Saunders found an additional 3,000 sf within the existing facility by dividing a two-story space with a new floor, increasing the temple’s educational and meeting capacity.
The project also included a complete gut renovation of the interiors and a new main entrance. Eckenhoff Saunders’ design unified disparate architectural styles into a timeless aesthetic that highlights the organization’s historical prominence within a modern framework. The renovation included a new chapel; flexible multipurpose space accommodating 1,150 people for holiday services; centralized administrative offices with a separate clergy suite; a new library and gift shop; 15 classrooms; and replacement of the outdated HVAC and life safety systems.