Gateshead Jewish Synagogue

Project Overview

During this project, we were asked to do the works from planning to construction for a new Mikveh (religious bath) including water capture and storage. We also did the new community hall and external works. The site had historic mine workings and the works had to be undertaken alongside the existing building. The Mikveh is a structure of pilgrim importance to the client so the design and construction had to follow guidance.

This involved complex planning to ensure the existing could remain functional during the works. As such, the structural design method is to allow the rainwater to be captured and stored for use in the Mikveh. The Mikveh could not touch man made materials, so the structure had to be designed and built with basalt reinforcement bar in place of steel.