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Eavesdrop> OMA, Piano, Morphosis rumored to be competing for Wilshire Temple addition

Eavesdrop> OMA, Piano, Morphosis rumored to be competing for Wilshire Temple addition

Wilshire Boulevard Temple, one of Los Angeles’ historic gems, was just splendidly renovated by a team led by Brenda Levin & Associates. Now it appears to have shortlisted some of the world’s top architects for its 55,000 square foot addition. The temple has declined to comment on the shortlist, but according to a source OMA, Renzo Piano, Morphosis and Kengo Kuma are now competing to design a 55,000-square-foot addition.

Called The Gathering Place, the$30-35 million event and programming space will contain a banquets hall, cafe, meeting and conference rooms, and administrative spaces located at the northwest corner of Wilshire and Harvard boulevards.

“The design must establish an iconic profile while taking into account the adjacent historic sanctuary building,” noted the competition RFQ. That’s not an easy task considering the phenomenal presence of the Byzantine revival sanctuary. Finalists’ submissions are due at the end of January, and the winning team will be chosen in June. Members of the architect selection committee include philanthropists Eli Broad and Tony Pritzker, and one advisor to the committee is Richard Koshalek, who oversaw the competition for Walt Disney Concert Hall, among others.


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