Cultural: There are two ways that we might understand the relationship of the “place for standing” (Rameumptom, see verse 21) and the synagogue. The fundamental relationship is that this Rameumptom is in the center of the synagogue. The issue is the nature of the synagogue.
In the Old World, we might expect that a place for standing might be inside a building. In this case, it would require nearly a two story building since the stand rises above the head, and a person must stand on top of that. Any building that contains such a place for standing would require an open covered area that allowed for at least two person heights before the ceiling.
In the New World at the time of the Zoramites, there are no such edifices known. What is known is open area courtyards surrounding low stepped pyramidal platforms. The difference between most of these platforms and the Rameumptom is the surface area of the top of the platform, which is generally larger than the one-person size of the Rameumptom. We have two models, then of how a Rameumptom might be in the center of a synagogue. In one case, it would be the center inside a taller building, and the second is that it would be in an open air courtyard.
There is no clear evidence of the nature of the synagogue in our text, but the impression is that it was quite easy to hear those who worshipped upon it. The function of the speech on the Rameumpton was a public declaration of unity, and therefore was meant to be heard by many. Finally, the constant use of the “place for standing” would indicate that it was easy to get to the top of it. This suggests stairs rather than a ladder. The presence of the stairs does not require a pyramidal shape, but the prevalence of this type of structure in Mesoamerica certainly is suggestive. The public function and the probable size of the Rameumptom all suggest that the synagogue was an open air meeting place rather than an enclosed building.