MGA Partners turned an old synagogue into the Maltz Performing Arts Center for Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Located in Wade Oval, among Cleveland’s most respected cultural institutions, a nationally registered historic synagogue, the Temple-Tifereth Israel, is repurposed as a new multi-disciplinary performing arts center for Case Western Reserve University. The 1,100-seat venue is the largest gathering space on campus and is used for a variety of ensembles, festivals and lectures.

Through ingenuity, collaboration, and respect for the historic 92-year-old building, the design team successfully resurrected a beloved but often unused facility into a nexus of culture, education, and student life. The project required a significant preservation component to uncover the beauty of many historic details, including the stained glass clerestory, the Guastavino tiled vaulted dome, marble corridors, and wood pews, as well as the limestone facade.

A consistent language of craft is found in the synagogue, celebrating the tradition of building and of those who built it almost a century ago. The new insertions, primarily the glass and steel canopy, are conceived to complement this character with thin structural ribs and the transparency of the glass. This carefully detailed, custom fabrication provides continuous views through to the original vaulted dome, while perfecting the necessary acoustics for performance. These new elements are crafted to be complementary and resonate with the historic character.

Architect: MGA Partners
Photography: Halkin | Mason Photography