Six Designs — The Architect Shows His Enthusiasm

Dewezet
January 29, 2004

Dr. Thomas Wuensche

Special art course at “Vikilu” takes up scissors and crayons
Heavy praise by Arnold Oppler /models of synagogues done in two months

Hameln (tw). Arnold Oppler’s face showed delight: “nice organization” and “it’s very buildable” the architecht from Washington praised the designs of the Vikilu students for the new building of the synjagogue. As reported, the great-grandson of the star-architecht Edwin Oppler who is visiting from America learned of the project on the internet and has received the commission from the Jewish congregation to prepare a preliminary design for the building on Buerenstrasse. The project of the Viktoria-Luise Gymnasium proved very useful.

Students present six model synagogues to Arnold Oppler and Rachel Dohme

For about two months the home work of the special art course under Holger Hagemann utilized scissors, paper, glue and crayons. According to the secondary school teacher :“Designed environment (Gestaltete Umwelt) is the theme of the seminar. I looked for projects in Hamlin which are topical.” The result: six model synagogues which the 17–19 year old students (sixteen girls and one boy) presented in ten minute talks to Oppler and Rachel Dohme, the chairwoman of the Jewish congregation. And that in fluent English, because the American hardly speaks any German.

Designs could not have been more different: some plainly functional, others oriental, with stars of David, and the “Tree of Life”, and in one case illuminated with a tea light candle. “The assignment encompassed the plastic form of the building”, said Hagemann. In addition, a drawing would show a detailed façade and a true-to-scale ground plan, with the rooms and their uses. The students summarized the design proposals in various project folders.

Useful information concerning Judiasm was gotten by a Special Course from Rachel Dohme at a visit to the office of the Jewish congregation. “We only gave them a few guidelines”, said the congregation’s chairwoman, “but everything is in the ‘house of God’, the prayer room, the ritual bath (mikva), a library, a gift shop and the ‘Museum of Tolerance’”.