Mt. Carmel Congregation

Messianic Facility & Conference Center

Mt. Carmel, Israel

Project: A 1400 sq. m. Worship Facility and Conference Center.
Location: The highest point atop Mt. Carmel, overlooking the Druze village of Isphia, Israel.
Vision: The Elijah vision; An end time revival to turn Israel back to G-d.
Program: A 350-seat Sanctuary ‘in the round,’ with overflow seating for another 250; support offices and education facilities; and rooftop gathering space.
Solution: A semi-circular building, configured in concentric layers of sanctification and ever finer finished materials, echoing the stratum of the Tabernacle and Temple. The shape echoes the call of the tribes of Israel by Elijah to the top of this mountain to test if G-d were G-d. G-d’s resulting fire from heaven that consumed the offering on the altar of 12 stones is evoked by the central focal point of the cylindrical skylight focusing light onto the Bimah with the 12 stones that were saved from the building excavation.

The balance of Law and Grace are manifested symbolically through the 10 large column and cantilever beams reflecting the 10 Commandments and through the 4 large clearstory windows representing the grace of the 4 Gospels. The large panels of acoustic boards on the walls are actually moveable walls that open the interior space to the outdoor arcade and the open sky beyond.

Click on an image below to view a larger version

Mt. Carmel Congregation 4-MtCarmelBimah 1-MtCarmelArtist 2-MtCarmelBack 3-MtCarmelParapet 5-MtCarmelFront

Bimah [815KB] | Parapet [282KB] | Back [255KB] | Artist’s Concept [439KB] | Front [15KB]