Church of Saint Anthony of Polana
Nuno Craveiro Lopes · Maputo, Mozambique · 1962
The Church of Saint Anthony of Polana is defined by a radial concrete structure whose folded ribs rise and converge above a centralized worship space. Nuno Craveiro Lopes used exposed concrete to create a highly expressive roof while maintaining an open interior with few conventional supports. The form gives the church a sculptural presence within Maputo and reflects the experimentation with thin-shell and folded concrete common in mid-century modern religious architecture. Opened in 1962, it remains one of Mozambique’s most distinctive modern buildings.