Baha'i Temple in Chile. The architectural project that won the international award RAIC 2019.

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada announces Studio Hariri Pontarini Architects as the winner of the RAIC 2019 international award, awarded for the Baha'i Temple project in Santiago, Chile.

A Community Architectural Masterpiece

The Baha'i Temple in Santiago, Chile is designed to be a gathering place that holds significant importance in the Chilean community, hosting community clubs, youth outreach programs, and children's activities in collaboration with public schools. Conceived and designed by the architectural firm Hariri Pontarini Architects, its opening in 2016 attracted 1.4 million visitors. Among all their innovative architectural projects, it is thanks to this incredible architectural masterpiece that the Toronto-based architectural firm clinched the 2019 RAIC International Award.

Space and light give a mystical movement to the work

The jury declared the victory of the timeless architectural project.
The Baha'i is a work that uses a language of space and light, form and materials, to express an interpretation of Baha'i philosophy and teachings that becomes universally accessible as a shared spiritual and emotional experience.
"Architects solve a compelling project with a powerful form that creates a new landmark in a dramatic natural environment," the jury stated.

Melted glass and marble

The nine graceful wings of the temple, connected by a "oculus" at the top, are made up of an outer layer of melted glass panels and an inner layer of translucent marble sourced from Portugal. The invention of this new material required four years of experimentation and collaboration with a Canadian glass artisan. A mezzanine provides a space to seek solitude while staying connected with the community.

Contemplation and sharing

The curved lines of the wooden benches invite people to gather as part of a congregation; sitting next to each other in silent contemplation. The Temple was commissioned by the Bahá'í House of Justice and is the eighth and final continental temple for the Bahá'í Faith.

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Hariri Pontarini Architects

235 Carlaw Ave #301 Toronto, ON M4M 2S1 Canada