Jewish Community Center Mainz / Manuel Herz Architects

Architects: Manuel Herz Architects
Area: 2,500 m²
Year: 2010
Photography: Iwan Baan
Lead Architect: Manuel Herz
Landscaping: Harald Heimz
Construction Design: Elitsa Lacaze, Hania Michalska, Michael Scheuvens, Peter Sandmann
Concept Design: Cornelia Redeker, Sven Röttger, Sonja Starke
Structural Engineering: Arup GmbH (Mainz)
Electrical Engineering: K. Dörflinger GmbH (Cologne)
Client: Jewish Community Mainz
City: Mainz
Country: Germany

The Jewish Community Center Mainz, designed by Manuel Herz Architects in Mainz, Germany, has revitalized the local Jewish community’s presence. Covered in glazed green ceramic tiles, the center’s design reflects the rich historical significance and resilience of the Jewish community in Mainz. The center integrates into the late 19th-century residential neighborhood using the perimeter block pattern, creating a public square and an internal garden. Completed in 2010, the building serves both religious and social functions, accommodating the needs of a growing community with a unique architectural response that incorporates themes of writing and space.

Jewish community center mainz / manuel herz architects

Manuel Herz Architects of Basel designed the Jewish Community Center in Mainz, Germany. The center is covered in glazed green ceramic tiles. Historically, the Jewish community in Mainz was influential, especially during the Middle Ages, due to notable Rabbis like Gershom ben Judah, known as the “Light of Diaspora.” The new center aims to continue this tradition.

However, the history of Jews in Mainz is also marked by persecution. Since their first mention around the year 900, the Jewish communities in Mainz have been repeatedly eradicated, only to be reestablished. This pattern embodies both hope and the tragic destruction of Jewish culture over more than a millennium.

After the Holocaust, a small group of Jews reestablished the community. By the 1980s, around 75 Jewish families lived in Mainz, but immigration from former Soviet republics increased this number significantly. The existing small residential building could no longer meet the community’s needs for religious, social, and cultural activities. Therefore, a new building, including a synagogue and community center, was constructed on the site of the former Synagogue Hindenburgstrasse.

The design integrates the center into the late 19th-century residential neighborhood of “Mainzer Neustadt” using the perimeter block pattern. The building aligns with the neighboring structures, creating a contained street space. This urban design, unusual for religious buildings, questions the role of sacrality in an urban context. The part of the building housing the synagogue faces East, creating two open spaces: an internal garden for the community and a public square in front of the main entrance. The absence of barriers makes this square a public space used for everyday activities, which is rare for a synagogue in Germany.

The urban context features high residential buildings, typically six to eight floors tall. The synagogue and community center’s primary functions are on the ground floor, but the building alternates between high and low points to respond to its surroundings. This profile is inspired by the theme of writing and its spatial relationship.

Judaism historically did not develop a strong tradition of building or specific architectural styles. Instead, writing has played a central role, particularly the Talmud, which emerged after the destruction of the second Temple and the beginning of the Diaspora. The Talmud represents an alternative spatial model, with the concept of space permeating its content, redaction, and debating techniques. The Hebrew word for ‘word’ (דבר – Davar) also means ‘thing’ or ‘object,’ reflecting the object quality of writing. This concept influences the design of the Jewish Community Center in Mainz.

The building’s profile is articulated by the abstracted Hebrew word “Qadushah,” symbolizing blessing. The glazed ceramic facade, with its rippled and three-dimensional surface, creates a dynamic play of light and perspective. The concentric pattern around the windows enhances the building’s dimensionality, with the green glazing reflecting varying light conditions.

Access to the synagogue is through the main foyer. The design addresses the typical synagogue layout, resolving the orientation towards Jerusalem and the central reading of the Torah with a horn-like roof that directs light to the Torah reading position. This roof shape references the ‘shofar’ (ram’s horn), symbolizing the connection between humanity and the divine.

The interior features densely packed Hebrew letters forming a mosaic-like relief. In certain areas, these letters are rearranged to display readable texts, including ‘Piyutim’ (religious poetry) by 10th and 11th-century Mainz rabbis. These texts narrate love for the Torah and the history of the Jewish community, especially during the first crusades.

The community center includes office spaces, school rooms, two apartments, and a multipurpose space serving as the social and cultural heart of the community. This space is used for internal and public events, fostering community engagement.

The new synagogue in Mainz stands out in a city with one of the most important Jewish communities. Unlike the low-profile approach of many Jewish communities in Germany, this building confidently marks a new active place in the city. It aims to attract both Jews and non-Jews, encouraging participation in its activities. The building symbolizes a new visibility and active role for the Jews of Mainz, linking them with their rich history and showing the power of the Diaspora.