Chabad of Cary

On a challenging site among mixed residential development and a busy collector road, the Chabad of Cary rests on a hillside overlooking Indian Creek Greenway. The sanctuary is positioned to capture views to the deciduous tree canopy rising from the park trail and creek below. Three Jerusalem limestone volumes contain worship space, meal preparation and the office of the Rabbi. They are arranged to form a social space for community gathering and spiritual discussion between them at the heart of the facility.

The sanctuary hosts large holiday meals and weddings in addition to other traditional religious services. Hebrew school classrooms open to a playground and the greenway trail on the lowest level. Materiality, abundant daylight, and curated views to the landscape establish connections to nature while insulating spaces from human-caused activity around the site.