Located in the center of cultural redevelopment area of Omaha, the 30,000 SF, former Temple Israel was intensively renovated to make the home for Omaha Conservatory of Music. Inside, the facility houses a 500-seat concert hall, a recital hall, administration offices, teaching studios, and a coffee house. Outside, the newly constructed harmony garden provides a welcoming environment and an outdoor performance platform for students, teachers, as well as the surrounding community.

Jury Notes: This project cleverly unearths the potential of its preexisting spaces. With subtle design moves, simple materials are employed to create dynamic and elegant spaces. The “shingled” wall detail in the concert hall is perfect in scale and execution. The jury agreed that this is an exemplary reuse of an older building for a new and entirely different use.