Religious architecture has been a medium and a space for people to collectively seek spiritual refuge and meaning under the idea of a divine existence. Sacred symbols of the associated faith often evoke a profound sense of belonging, while the symbolism expressed through architecture accentuates the intensity of the corresponding emotions through elements that inspire awe. The modern interpretation of religious architecture departs from ornamentation, taking on a sculptural nature. This is particularly true in the way contemporary architecture references the principles of traditional church architecture, magnific spatial volumes and light transmuting the spaces from every day to ethereal through high-placed windows. Santuario de La Salle by CAZA—a Brooklyn-based design studio—is an inclusive religious space nestled within the De La Salle University in Biñan City in the Philippines. It is a contemporary rendition of what the paradoxical idea of inclusive sacred spaces can look like.

Divinity and all its belief systems often elude to mysticism and metaphors. Religious symbols, and even architecture, play a role in swaying sentiments. Reimagining the conventional notions of sacral architecture, the project called for architecture that facilitates multi-faceted harmony, challenging the architects with two distinct briefs. "The first (brief) called for creating a social gathering space that harmonised with and paid homage to three different community groups—the religious, the academic, and the surrounding residents. The second brief emphasised a connection with the encompassing rural landscape, marked by expansive trees and open fields. This was particularly noteworthy in the context of a developing urban region, offering a unique blend of community inclusivity and a sense of natural serenity,” team CAZA told STIR, elaborating on how the initial brief was deciphered to create a religious building that fosters a larger community.

The project disrupts the dichotomy of religious and secular spaces, though not being the first one to do so. The concept of inclusive spaces has been on the rise, most notably seen through the Baha'i Temples. The structure, which almost doesn’t give away its essential identity as a church, holds firmly onto inclusivity, not just in principle, but also enables it through programmatic functions. The structure is amorphous and permeable, shedding the monumental nature associated with conventional religious architecture. In this case, the outer facade design—made up of vertical slats—breaks down the massive volume of the building, giving the structure a lightness.

The rhythmic outer skin serves as a semi-outdoor space that acts as a transition space between the bustling university environments into quiet areas within. Raw and unfinished concrete is used on the exterior to emphasise a connection with the surrounding wooded landscape while also standing in contrast to it. The material palette changes as one moves inside, shifting to softwoods and brass. A porous ambulatory area links the circular rooms, creating spaces for liturgical functions that vary in spatial constraints and degrees of formality. “The chapel is designed to take individuals and make them part of a larger, connected group, its spatial journey giving physical form to the idea of participating in a community of faith as an individual,” CAZA describes in an official release. Devoid of formidable structural elements, the elements not only act as visual adornments but are also integral to the overall structural integrity of the building. A myriad of bijou columns collectively supporting the structure gives it an ephemeral quality while also becoming a physical metaphor for the collective importance of individuals in a community.

Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, the founder of the De La Salle Brothers, was a French priest and an educational reformer who dedicated his life to the education of poor children in France while innovating lasting educational practices. This background influenced the design. CAZA told STIR, "The project drew inspiration from the principles of religious architecture, specifically influenced by the ethos of the De La Salle brothers who were dedicated to both scholastic endeavours and serving the less privileged communities. Beyond addressing religious needs, the design incorporates spaces for teaching classes and conducting events like graduation ceremonies. The ultimate design and form of the structure transcends its initial purpose, evolving into a destination for pilgrimage. This multifaceted interpretation of religious architecture encapsulates the broader mission of the De La Salle brothers and the university.”

The design evolution of the project is characterised by a distinctive shape that holds symbolic meaning—a loose five-sided star, which is inspired by the La Salle seal. To ensure optimal access to light—a fundamental element in sacral architecture—adjustments were made to the shape and orientation of the structure. The double-height central core is a congregation space that can be accessed through 14 doors. The space consists of a tilted ceiling, with arcs similar to planetary orbits. The lighting design alludes to this celestial concept, with pendants hanging weightlessly from the ceiling like stars. The vertical slats that form the permeable external skin of the structure also continue on the upper level as fins that become a screen for the long clerestory windows, diffusing the direct sunlight. With a contemporary spire rising above the canopies of the surrounding buildings, the structure shares the historic aspirations of church builders, signalling the visual spectacle of a ‘house of god’, subtly giving away its association to Christianity with the silhouette of a cross.

Santuario De La Salle, along with being an inclusive religious building that challenges the conventions of traditional religious architecture, is also an ode to nature, with the materials used and its permeable form that blurs the boundaries between built and unbuilt. The project reveals unconventional means to evoke spirituality using design. Architects across ages have interpreted religious architecture in multifarious innovative forms, and continue to do so. The Oratory of St. Francis Xavier by Spanish architect Paco García Moro—a Thai chapel clad in intricate wooden latticework, and the Abrahamic Family House by Sir David Adjaye's Adjaye Associates—a project that brings cohesion to a mosque, a church and a synagogue through a shared sense of divinity associated with light, alongside this structure are projects that continue to add to the dialogue of symbolising and creating a divine experience through sacral architecture.

Project Details

Name: Santuario de La Salle
Location: Binan City, Laguna, Philippines
Area: 13,530.52 sqm
Year of completion: 2023
Architect: CAZA