As we move further into the modern world, so do our religious and spiritual monuments. Here, we take a closer look at the projects that are at the forefront of religious architecture, highlighting future and recently completed structures that are leaving their mark on the collective memory of what a place of worship should look like in China, Brazil, Norway and beyond.
In 1990, Patricio Aylwin Azócar became the first democratically elected president in Chile, succeeding dictator Augusto Pinochet. Following his passing in 2016 at the age of 97, the Council of National Monuments tapped Gonzalo Mardones Arquitecto to design a mausoleum for the late ex-president. Located in a shaded corner of Santiago’s General Cemetery, Aylwin’s concrete mausoleum is hidden beneath the gardens. Geometric shapes recognise his personality: the triangular opening represents the life of his wife Leonor and his devotion to the Holy Trinity, whilst underground a duo of spaces (square and circular) signify the human and the Divine. Photography: Pablo Casals Aguirre.