An eco-friendly synagogue is the heart of its Palo Alto community
Congregation Kol Emeth's eco-friendly synagogue by Field Architecture becomes a sustainable heart for its community

Palo Alto plays host to a world debut with its new, eco-friendly synagogue: welcome to Congregation Kol Emeth's redesigned home, the first ever LEED Platinum building of its kind. The voice and heart of the local Jewish community since its foundation, Congregation Kol Emeth grew lively and strong over the years, slowly but surely its activities outgrowing its original home. The new space and its sustainable architecture were designed by locally based studio Field Architecture, the project led by practice co-founder Jess Field. The project included the reimagining and expansion of the existing structure on site – at the same time composing an impressive Zero Energy and Net Zero Water Building for irrigation.
An eco-friendly synagogue in Palo Alto: welcome to Congregation Kol Emeth
The new eco-minded synagogue consists of three main volumes, which contain a sanctuary, classrooms, administrative offices, a multi-purpose room, and a garden. The structure's timber lattice exterior blends effortlessly with the rich garden, while thanks to discreet yet large openings, the inside and outside feel as one for visitors. 'Simple but impactful features', such as skylights, clerestory windows, and a full-length sliding glass wall, help carve a space that is practical but also aesthetically striking, explained the architects.
'The sanctuary, outdoor courtyard, and social hall are joined by an undulating canopy that filters natural light, creating a dynamic experience that changes with the movement of the sun,' the team continued. This canopy has a symbolic meaning too; it links back to the traditional Jewish chuppah, the 12 large wooden pillars supporting it referring to the 12 tribes of Israel. In the same vein, the aforementioned lattice draws on the traditional prayer shawls worn by Jews during worship.
The gentle yet strong, undulating new home for Congregation Kol Emeth brings together people and nature, while giving the Palo Alto Jewish community a thoroughly modern, environmentally sensitive place of worship. Sculptural, sensitive and thoughtfully designed for its purpose, this is a building that will no doubt serve its users for years to come.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Victoria Miro celebrates 40 years with the artists who have shaped its history
Victoria Miro has weathered a turbulent art market over the last four decades. Now, the gallery is celebrating its staying power with an anniversary exhibition
-
Is embracing nature the key to a more fire-resilient Los Angeles? These landscape architects think so
For some, an executive order issued by California governor Gavin Newsom does little to address the complexities of living within an urban-wildland interface
-
Airstream unveils a new Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired trailer
'If you had Venn diagrams of the Frank Lloyd Wright customer and the Airstream customer, they're gonna be pretty close to on top of each other'
-
Is embracing nature the key to a more fire-resilient Los Angeles? These landscape architects think so
For some, an executive order issued by California governor Gavin Newsom does little to address the complexities of living within an urban-wildland interface
-
Hop on this Fire Island Pines tour, marking Pride Month and the start of the summer
A Fire Island Pines tour through the work of architecture studio BOND is hosted by The American Institute of Architects New York in celebration of Pride Month; join the fun
-
A Laurel Canyon house shows off its midcentury architecture bones
We step inside a refreshed modernist Laurel Canyon house, the family home of Annie Ritz and Daniel Rabin of And And And Studio
-
A refreshed Rockefeller Wing reopens with a bang at The Met in New York
The Met's Michael C Rockefeller Wing gets a refresh by Kulapat Yantrasast's WHY Architecture, bringing light, air and impact to the galleries devoted to arts from Africa, Oceania and the Ancient Americas
-
A Fire Island house for two sisters reimagines the beach home typology
Coughlin Scheel Architects’ Fire Island house is an exploration of an extended family retreat for the 21st century
-
PlayLab opens its Los Angeles base, blending workspace, library and shop in a new interior
Creative studio PlayLab opens its Los Angeles workspace and reveals plans to also open its archive to the public for the first time, revealing a dedicated space full of pop treasures
-
Los Angeles businesses regroup after the 2025 fires
In the third instalment of our Rebuilding LA series, we zoom in on Los Angeles businesses and the architecture and social fabric around them within the impacted Los Angeles neighbourhoods
-
‘Fall Guy’ director David Leitch takes us inside his breathtaking Los Angeles home
For movie power couple David Leitch and Kelly McCormick, interior designer Vanessa Alexander crafts a home with the ultimate Hollywood ending