Shree Swaminarayan Temple Complex

Secaucus, New Jersey

The Temple Complex is located on a 3.75-acre site in the city of Secaucus, New Jersey on the outskirts of New York City. The fairly flat rectangular site accommodates 22,500 sq. ft. of building footprint with a prayer hall to seat 250 with overflow seating, and a multipurpose hall to seat 575 in auditorium mode and 250 in dining mode.

Ancillary support consists of individual lobby areas for the Prayer and multipurpose halls, a central kitchen for the multipurpose hall and a small kitchen for the prayer hall. The facility also accommodates Priest’s quarters with required ancillary support functions.

The plan provides maximum flexibility and allows the use of the prayer hall or multipurpose hall at any given time. The multipurpose hall can be used for various functions for the community such as educational programs, aerobics, dance, drama, etc.

The exterior character is developed on the early architectural style of Hindu and Buddhist period of Indian Architecture, i.e. beam and bracket styles. Considerable efforts were made to keep the exterior less ornate taking into consideration climatic conditions, construction cost, and ease of maintenance. The prayer hall and multipurpose hall walls are constructed in CMU to keep out the noise from passenger trains. The exterior skin is finished in exterior insulation finish system for the flexibility of having a somewhat ornate tower (Shikhara), which is very much a prerequisite established by the congregation as a design criteria.

The Temple fulfills the long awaited desire of the community to have their own space for worship and a community hall for their cultural activities and for fostering their cultural heritage.