In 2004, the cover of the Canadian Architect awards issue featured a drawing of the nine-sided Bahá?í Temple of South America, a design by Hariri Pontarini Architects. 15 years later, in this issue, a stirring image of the temple appears once again (see page 53)?but this time, it?s a photograph of the realized temple, which was completed in 2016.
The photo is the winner of this year?s Photo Award of Excellence. Taken by doublespace, it captures the mysterious atmosphere and majestic scale of the temple, whose curved fins are brushed by the morning light coming up over the mountains.
The winning photo by doublespace photography
The temple itself has secured several major awards, including the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada?s International Prize (formerly called the Moriyama International Prize), which comes with a $100,000 purse. Expressing the Bahá?í faith?s spirit of inclusiveness, the building has no pulpit or religious symbols. Instead, it is a circular form that uses the universal language of natural light. The cast glass exterior and translucent marble interior create a warm glow intended to lift the spirit of those who enter. The building was engineered to last 400 years in the rugged, earthquake-prone region.
What does it take to bring a project like this from concept to reality" Part of it was an exceptional client, with a deep-rooted commitment to seeing the project through in a way that, in itself, embodied the values of community and inclusivit...