Download pdf - Caparol
Download pdf - Caparol
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The design of the just three-millimetre embossed<br />
letter surfaces, the texts of which can be<br />
read from quite a distance, is a masterpiece.<br />
The colour, which is similar to gold<br />
and was found experimentally, is unique.<br />
Synagogue, Mainz<br />
■ Customer<br />
Jewish community, Mainz<br />
■ Architect<br />
Manuel Herz, Basel<br />
■ Painters<br />
Atelier Alexandre N. Osipov<br />
Frankfurt am Main<br />
■ Technical consultancy<br />
Peter Neri<br />
<strong>Caparol</strong> Farben Lacke Bautenschutz<br />
GmbH & Co. Vertriebs KG<br />
■ Products<br />
Capadecor CapaGold<br />
Histolith Silikat-Fixativ<br />
A sea of letters<br />
Memorable although strange – the new synagogue in Mainz<br />
The Nazis destroyed the principal synagogue in Mainz 72 years ago. Now the state capital of Rhineland-Palatinate<br />
has a new synagogue which stands precisely at the spot in the new quarter of Mainz where the old synagogue stood.<br />
The building was designed by the architect, Manuel Herz. On 3rd September the new synagogue was inaugurated in<br />
the presence of Germany's president. Its stylish self-assurance is impressive, as are the choice of material, the imagery<br />
and the integration in the city structure. Depending on the viewing angle and incident light, the observer has a new<br />
perspective view of the building.<br />
The search for the right colour<br />
In the interior of the community centre<br />
everything is white, only the synagogue room<br />
shines in a colour which is somewhere<br />
between gold, copper and silver. Hundreds<br />
of thousands of characters can be seen on<br />
the walls – a sea of letters, which at some<br />
points come together as readable texts. The<br />
design of the letters, embossed to just three<br />
millimetres, and the Hebraic texts they represent<br />
should be readable from a distance.<br />
It is a masterpiece created by the architect<br />
in co-operation with Dipl.-Ing. and master<br />
stuccoist, Martin Ranft, and Dipl.-Designer,<br />
Alexandre N. Osipov.<br />
It was a challenge to develop a solemn<br />
colour which brings splendour into the<br />
synagogue room, but which avoids clear<br />
identification with gold and its all too apparent<br />
symbolism. In view of this Manuel Herz<br />
and the two artisans conducted a few tests<br />
with a spray paint from a can which appeared<br />
naturally cloudy and patinated. And<br />
it was exactly that which pleased the<br />
architect, but it would be impossible to coat<br />
1,200 square metres of area like that. The<br />
spray booths at <strong>Caparol</strong> were the scene of<br />
4<br />
feverish experimenting. More than fifteen<br />
samples were produced.<br />
Experimental and<br />
unconventional work<br />
The right colour which was somewhere between<br />
gold, copper and silver was mixed<br />
according to the architect's specification. As it<br />
turned out, experiments demonstrated that it<br />
was quite possible with the acrylic dispersion<br />
paint, Capadecor CapaGold.<br />
Continued on page 7
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