Located on a prominent site in the historic Back Bay neighborhood of Boston, the Florence & Chafetz Hillel House is a magnificent architectural enhancement to BU’s Central Campus that is open to students from all area schools. The red brick and limestone exterior enhances its busy streetscape, and large contemporary windows feature views of the Charles River and Boston skyline. Built in the traditional Back Bay design, the façade provides a transition between BU’s institutional campus and the local residential neighborhood in which it sits.
As a center designed to accommodate nearly 3,500 Jewish students, the center hosts more than 30 student groups, as well as meetings, conferences and university events. The rich wood and stone finishes and open, flexible layout allow for a variety of student activities, and the program includes lounges, activity rooms, the Rubin-Frankel art gallery, and a dining hall served by kosher kitchens that is open to anyone with a student meal plan. Religious elements are unobtrusively integrated throughout the interior, and the three chapels on the fourth floor dedicated to Orthodox, Conservative and Reform worship may be opened to form a single worship space for high holidays.
Project Features:
• Three separate Synagogues for Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox worship.
• Two kosher kitchens
• Dining/banquet hall
• Judaica library
• Coffee bar
• Administrative offices
• Student work, study and recreation spaces
• Conference room
• Rubin-Frankel art gallery
• 4 Stories
Special design elements:
- Sliding walls separating Chapels
- Historically significant stained glass panels from the former Hillel House restored and relocated to new building.
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