THE CHURCH OF LIGHT

TADAO ANDO - OSAKA, JAPAN - 1989

Key words: Church, Concrete, Cross, Duality, Light, Minimalism, Simplicity, Spirituality, Void

Church Interior - Photography: © Nobuyoshi Araki

The Church of Light is an iconic expression of spiritual architecture. By creating an evocative dialogue between light and shadow, Ando encourages visitors to find their inner light in a world of darkness. On the Eastern facade, a cross-shaped void cuts into the concrete wall, allowing light to flood the space. Symbolically, Ando reveals how religion could offer one guidance and clarity.

By stripping away ornamentation, Ando relies exclusively on the relationship between the material and immaterial to evoke spiritual qualities. The simplistic space appears both humble and transcendent, encouraging users into contemplation and deeper reflection.

“In all my works, light is an important controlling factor. I create enclosed spaces mainly by means of thick concrete walls. The primary reason is to create a place for the individual, a zone for oneself within society. When the external factors of a city's environment require the wall to be without openings, the interior must be especially full and satisfying.” – Tadao Ando

“Light is the origin of all being. Light gives, with each moment, new form to being and new interrelationships to things, and architecture condenses light to its most concise being. The creation of space in architecture is simply the condensation and purification of the power of light.” - Tadao Ando