This sukkah was built for a large Sukkot gathering in Miami. It was assembled using local bamboo and palm fronds, and enclosed with translucent white fabric. We built it by hand in just a few days. The roof is open enough to let in starlight, but shaded enough to offer shelter. The walls are only partial, as required. The whole structure is temporary by design.

And yet, for one week, it held something lasting.

As an architect, I design spaces. But they only come alive through people. The sukkah is one of the purest expressions of this. It’s not about permanence. It’s about presence.

Inside these soft walls, people gathered to eat, sing, cry, pray, dance, and just be. The sukkah became a container for celebration and for mourning. It reminded me why I do this work.

The structure was my contribution. The meaning came from everyone else.

Thanks to David Yarus for being a brave, trusting collaborator. And to Walter and all the friends who helped bring it to life.