fragments
TU student Benedikt Benker wins idea competition for the new presentation of the fragments of the Torah shrine of the synagogue at Börneplatz.
2024/01/30
The preserved fragments of the Torah shrine from the synagogue inaugurated in 1882 and destroyed by arson on November 10, 1938, at Börneplatz in Frankfurt am Main are set to be reintegrated into the synagogue context in 2024 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the reestablishment of the Jewish community in Frankfurt. The fragments of the shrine were discovered in 1987 during excavations for the construction of the new Frankfurt municipal utilities building and have since been exhibited multiple times in a museum context.
The Jewish Community of Frankfurt intends to reintegrate the fragments into the Westend Synagogue. The goal is to create a historical reference point that is integrated into the spaces of the current Jewish Community and establishes a connection to the predecessor communities of the present community.
To realize this project, the Jewish Community of Frankfurt announced a competition last year, inviting selected artists and designers to participate. Students from the Department of Design and Architectural Design, led by Prof. Wolfgang Lorch, also submitted proposals.
From the submissions, the jury selected the proposal by TU student Benedikt Benker for implementation. His design, “Kintsugi – Fragments of the Shrine,” draws on the idea of the Japanese method of “Kintsugi” (golden repair): in this traditional method of ceramic repair, the fragments are visibly glued together, and missing parts are replaced by a filler material. For the fragments of the Torah shrine, Benker proposes specially cast glass stones shaped according to the outlines of the fragments. The 64 fragments will be arranged in a vertical plane between two existing supports in the designated space within the Westend Synagogue. Their arrangement follows the original appearance of the shrine and takes into account the condition of the fragments—some are made of marble, weigh over 200 kilograms, and have significant damage. Daylight enters the designated space from two sides, creating different light and shadow situations depending on the position of the sun.
The design is expected to be realized by November of this year.
Jury:
Dr. Wolfgang David, Senior Director of the Archaeological Museum Frankfurt
Marc Grünbaum, Board member and cultural commissioner of the Jewish Community of Frankfurt am Main
Dr. Holger Koppe, representing the foundation named after him
Ester Bruzkus, Bruzkus Architects Berlin
About the Competition:
The initiator of the competition is the Jewish Community of Frankfurt am Main, and the Archaeological Museum Frankfurt is a partner of the competition, initially lending the fragments to the community on a permanent basis. However, the long-term goal is the restitution of the fragments to the Jewish Community.
For further information, please refer to the original source.
