These renderings were created to celebrate the groundbreaking gala at Pressman Academy.
The Berliner Team would like to Congratulate Temple Beth Am on their 2018 Gala honoring Karen Fried, VP of Education, and Susan Hetsroni, President Board of Trustees. The theme of this year’s Gala was “Groundbreaking”, commemorating the beginning of the Sanctuary Renovation and the Pressman Academy Middle School, both slated to break ground this year.
The New Pressman Academy Middle School building encourages student agency, allowing the children of TBA to grow and then succeed as leaders in this changing world. The planning principles address the needs of the whole child and the their community, creating a place where multiple generations of TBA members can claim as their own.
In preparation for the gala, the Berliner team worked with a rendering specialist to highlight the significance of the Boulevard, an avenue running between the Temple and the school which was previously an alleyway. This central space is cradled by the new school, drawing members in from La Cienega, bowing out to create a pedestrian zone, and then angling back towards the existing Ganzberg building. Just as middle school is a bridge between childhood and adulthood, the planning of the school itself mimics that connection by bridging the K-5 classes and the Temple, where their spirituality can continue to grow.
During the ceremony the first set of pavers to be installed in the boulevard were auctioned off, with anticipation of future sets to be engraved over time, showing a history of the Temple’s growth. These aggregate pavers use recycled shells, harking back to the area of La Cienega where Temple Beth Am sits, previously a marshland. These references to the indigenous Landscape of Los Angeles and Isreal are carried throughout the Campus Revitalization and Pressman Academy design. Check out the project page for further information!