Church of the Light
Tadao Ando · Ibaraki, Japan · 1989
The Church of the Light is one of Tadao Ando's most distilled works: a simple concrete box cut by a luminous cross in the altar wall. An angled freestanding wall forces visitors to turn before entering the chapel, making movement and darkness essential parts of the experience. The building demonstrates how very limited means—concrete, proportion, shadow and daylight—can produce an intense architectural and spiritual atmosphere.