Woven

To be a stranger is a temporary condition, like the sukkah. Welcoming the stranger or foreigner to our table and home unites us socially and transcends the temporary to become a permanent connection: the unfamiliar becomes familiar. The twisting palm branch defines the sukkah’s design, unfolding upward from the focal gathering point, with rope fastened to the bamboo palm, spiraling around the center. A single strand alone cannot define a boundary but together the ropes act as a fabric, uniting to create an intimate gathering space. While the design springs forth from the center table, the sukkah’s general form also resembles a tent – a symbol of temporary conditions that we can hopefully elevate to facilitate permanent connection with the world around us.

Copyright Hord Coplan Macht

Location: National Building Museum
401 F St. NW, Washington, DC 20004