When an architect first chooses a concept on which to base his or her design, the difficult process of designing and building is just beginning. If the established concept was made with a thorough understanding of the needs of the users, the available resources, and existing constraints, then the resulting project will likely be deemed successful. However, if the concept is established without the understanding and respect of these characteristics and pursued to the nth degree solely for the satisfaction of the architect's ego, then chaos ensues. Such is the result of the sanctuary building and other site improvements recently completed at Congregation Beth El in La Jolla.

In the case of this building, Stanley Saitowitz and his designers created a building that is dangerous to its users, creates an extreme amount of discomfort during religious services, and ignores the basic operational needs of building maintenance. The use of materials consistently clashes - acid-washed precast with plastic light switch cover plates, dark hardwood floors abutting WalMart storefront systems, and long expanses of highly finished drywall with light washing across the surfaces showing each and every imperfection.

Modular pavers used in the courtyard (where there modularity is not only ignored but blatantly disrespected) continue into the interior space, where the porosity, joints, and texture make the floor impossible to sweep or clean. Large expanses of single pane glass are etched with scripture and meant to be viewed and read from the outside, but the varying materials, configurations, and light levels and reflections leave the observer struggling to make sense of what exactly is portrayed. Enormous concrete panels are assembled in a way that creates unsightly, uneven, and dissimilar joints as much as 2" wide, all filled with sealant with the care and craftsmanship of an apprentice.

The designer responsible for the site work details spent little time observing the behavior of the users of the site, be they congregants of Beth El or those of a neighboring synagogue who use the property as a path of travel between two parallel streets. Massive stairways are built to the bare minimum standards and are steep, intimidating, and harshly lit at night. The handrail sections have sharp edges and no breaks to allow for users to pass from one side to the other if they choose. For those who cannot use stairs or are pushing strollers, a complete lack of curb cuts between the entry at the bottom of the property to the highest entry point (more than 100 feet in elevation change) must stay in the drives and deal with narrow alleys that only permit two cars traveling opposite directions to pass, with no space left for the pedestrian. Lamp posts placed directly in the middle of sidewalks reduce their effective width such that strollers, wheelchairs, walkers, users of crutches and anyone using a hand cart must divert into the landscaping in order to pass.

On the inside, the symmetry of the seating works against the multiple types of services that are typically conducted within this type of space. With the seats arranged in parallel with facing rows, in all but a few seats the congregants must turn their head for extended periods of time to watch the activity. The rows are spaced such that no one can pass someone who is seated - everyone must stand up. The vertical panels with sharp edges and corners are the cause of constant bruises to the thighs or other more painful parts of the anatomy, and the closed-end rows make egress difficult and lengthy, and often leave multiple seats unused because people simply don't want to deal with the trouble of getting to them. The multiple elevations changes within the space create trip and fall hazards with nearly each event. The seating at the second level is built with stair so steep that most people turn away once they look down from the top level, the designated and only approachable path of travel. The glass panels at the 2nd level completely eliminate any modesty from anyone wearing skirts shorter than ankle length. The same effect occurs from the top looking down onto the first few rows of seats.

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