Jewish Architect Planned Oak Park Temple to Serve the Congregation
A conversation with architect Walter Sobel, FAIA, November 6, 2013 by Deborah Spector
"What develops the best result is an involved, knowledgeable, intelligent, responsive building committee. I enjoy good relationships with people, with family members. I enjoy giving back to the community. If people can be good citizens, understand the importance of religion and remember to give back to their community, then I think they have done well.”
Walter Sobel, FAIA, of Walter H. Sobel & Associates (founded 1938), was the architect who designed Oak Park Temple. Sobel was over 100 years old in our Sesquicentennial year and remained active and busy in his Frank Lloyd Wright designed home in Wilmette, Illinois. Mr. Sobel, 100, died of natural causes Wednesday, June 11, 2014, in Skokie Hospital, according to his son Richard. He lived in Wilmette for more than 60 years, the last 57 in a Frank Lloyd Wright house which since 2000 included his office and studio.
Last fall, as Oak Park Temple B’nai Abraham Zion Congregation began preparations for its 150th anniversary of continuous service to the Jewish community, Sobel reminisced with our past president, Deborah Spector, about designing the Oak Park Temple building and other synagogues and religious buildings. In addition to these buildings, Sobel went on to design governmental offices , and "programmed" some 300+ courthouses. As with his courthouses, Sobel’s firm developed a program for synagogues based on existing requirements and projecting needs and regression analysis. Unique at the time, a critical member of his team was social scientist Jill Reich.
Sobel was already known to the congregation. Philip Sang’s family had worked with Sobel ‘s firm developing factory and storage buildings. The firm also planned several buildings for Lincoln College, a private residential liberal arts college located in Lincoln, Illinois. The Sang family, dedicated Lincolniana collectors, enthusiastically supported the development of the college project.
The Building Committee consisted of Morris Glasser, an accountant, Sam Zimmerman, whose family had several retail clothing stores, and Mr. Sang. As the congregation prepared to move to a new site, the Building Committee. retained Sobel, who was a member of KAM Isaiah Israel in Hyde Park. Mr. Sobel and the Committee designed a sanctuary for approximately 300 congregants with a dividing door for the community hall and a stage and lighting system. Sobel and the committee developed a "program" for the new building based on the current number of congregants and their expectation for membership in 25 years. They designed a building that would accommodate 20% of membership for services and a school wing for kindergarten through 10th grade.
The Building Committee relied on these architects, who had done extensive research on religious buildings. Materials were selected for high quality and low anticipated maintenance. The Committee and Mr. Sobel believed that art and sculpture were needed to be an integral part of a good building. A talented artist did the relief on Harlem Avenue and the original art on the former patio. A well known New York artist was commissioned to design the magnificent stained glass windows.
The cornerstone on the southwest corner of the building (designed to be opened after 50 years) will require a mason and Sobel suggests contacting Marty Hackl, a local architectural historian. Sobel believed the cornerstone contains newspaper articles from 1957 or 1958.
Sobel remained interested in and available for consultation for any further plans for the building. Not only did he have great affection for Oak Park Temple but his firm has a continuing professional interest in studying how buildings survive and change to meet the challenge of changing needs over time.
For the future? Sobel said he would like to see the synagogue replace the old boiler and air conditioning system, noting the 90% efficiency of new boilers. He was excited about our Green Committee, GO GREEN! and urged taking advantage of new technology, including replacing incandescent bulbs.
Sobel was present at the dedication of the building although his memory has faded regarding details. Among his synagogue projects he considers Beth Emet his best. He notes a charming detail: the red brick in the outdoor arch (north side of the building) is brick from original residence on the property. Beth Emet is his favorite because he believes it evolved like a tabernacle.
However, he insisted that Oak Park Temple is the most integrated art and sculpture project of any of his buildings, noting the sculpture on the west side of the building, the artwork done by A. Raymond Katz, and the exquisite and warm stained glass windows in the sanctuary.
By any standard, Mr. Sobel’s firm has designed a building that has stood the test of time. Not only has it fulfilled its original purposes, the design is such that it can continue to evolve as we develop further building challenges in our quest to meet the needs of our congregation.
http://wilmette.suntimes.com/people/sobel_celebrate_century_of_looking_to_the_future-WIL-08142013:article
http://www.pritzkermilitary.org/files/7513/8445/5444/SobelTranscript_.pdf
http://chicagojewishhistory.org/pdf/2008/CJH_3_2008-web.pdf
"What develops the best result is an involved, knowledgeable, intelligent, responsive building committee. I enjoy good relationships with people, with family members. I enjoy giving back to the community. If people can be good citizens, understand the importance of religion and remember to give back to their community, then I think they have done well.”
Walter Sobel, FAIA, of Walter H. Sobel & Associates (founded 1938), was the architect who designed Oak Park Temple. Sobel was over 100 years old in our Sesquicentennial year and remained active and busy in his Frank Lloyd Wright designed home in Wilmette, Illinois. Mr. Sobel, 100, died of natural causes Wednesday, June 11, 2014, in Skokie Hospital, according to his son Richard. He lived in Wilmette for more than 60 years, the last 57 in a Frank Lloyd Wright house which since 2000 included his office and studio.
Last fall, as Oak Park Temple B’nai Abraham Zion Congregation began preparations for its 150th anniversary of continuous service to the Jewish community, Sobel reminisced with our past president, Deborah Spector, about designing the Oak Park Temple building and other synagogues and religious buildings. In addition to these buildings, Sobel went on to design governmental offices , and "programmed" some 300+ courthouses. As with his courthouses, Sobel’s firm developed a program for synagogues based on existing requirements and projecting needs and regression analysis. Unique at the time, a critical member of his team was social scientist Jill Reich.
Sobel was already known to the congregation. Philip Sang’s family had worked with Sobel ‘s firm developing factory and storage buildings. The firm also planned several buildings for Lincoln College, a private residential liberal arts college located in Lincoln, Illinois. The Sang family, dedicated Lincolniana collectors, enthusiastically supported the development of the college project.
The Building Committee consisted of Morris Glasser, an accountant, Sam Zimmerman, whose family had several retail clothing stores, and Mr. Sang. As the congregation prepared to move to a new site, the Building Committee. retained Sobel, who was a member of KAM Isaiah Israel in Hyde Park. Mr. Sobel and the Committee designed a sanctuary for approximately 300 congregants with a dividing door for the community hall and a stage and lighting system. Sobel and the committee developed a "program" for the new building based on the current number of congregants and their expectation for membership in 25 years. They designed a building that would accommodate 20% of membership for services and a school wing for kindergarten through 10th grade.
The Building Committee relied on these architects, who had done extensive research on religious buildings. Materials were selected for high quality and low anticipated maintenance. The Committee and Mr. Sobel believed that art and sculpture were needed to be an integral part of a good building. A talented artist did the relief on Harlem Avenue and the original art on the former patio. A well known New York artist was commissioned to design the magnificent stained glass windows.
The cornerstone on the southwest corner of the building (designed to be opened after 50 years) will require a mason and Sobel suggests contacting Marty Hackl, a local architectural historian. Sobel believed the cornerstone contains newspaper articles from 1957 or 1958.
Sobel remained interested in and available for consultation for any further plans for the building. Not only did he have great affection for Oak Park Temple but his firm has a continuing professional interest in studying how buildings survive and change to meet the challenge of changing needs over time.
For the future? Sobel said he would like to see the synagogue replace the old boiler and air conditioning system, noting the 90% efficiency of new boilers. He was excited about our Green Committee, GO GREEN! and urged taking advantage of new technology, including replacing incandescent bulbs.
Sobel was present at the dedication of the building although his memory has faded regarding details. Among his synagogue projects he considers Beth Emet his best. He notes a charming detail: the red brick in the outdoor arch (north side of the building) is brick from original residence on the property. Beth Emet is his favorite because he believes it evolved like a tabernacle.
However, he insisted that Oak Park Temple is the most integrated art and sculpture project of any of his buildings, noting the sculpture on the west side of the building, the artwork done by A. Raymond Katz, and the exquisite and warm stained glass windows in the sanctuary.
By any standard, Mr. Sobel’s firm has designed a building that has stood the test of time. Not only has it fulfilled its original purposes, the design is such that it can continue to evolve as we develop further building challenges in our quest to meet the needs of our congregation.
http://wilmette.suntimes.com/people/sobel_celebrate_century_of_looking_to_the_future-WIL-08142013:article
http://www.pritzkermilitary.org/files/7513/8445/5444/SobelTranscript_.pdf
http://chicagojewishhistory.org/pdf/2008/CJH_3_2008-web.pdf
