Spanish architect Fernando Menis has received the 2024 “Frate Sole” International Prize for Sacred Architecture for the Church of the Holy Redeemer and the community center in Las Chumberas, a neighborhood in Tenerife, Canary Islands. Menis’s project was selected from 128 entries from 28 countries by an international jury.

The Church of the Holy Redeemer project spanned over 15 years due to the donations that made it possible, fully embodying the collective action it symbolizes. This phased approach determined the project's logic, paralleling the transformation of Las Chumberas, a 1970s neighborhood with apartment blocks, shopping centers, and industrial buildings.

Menis envisioned the church, the final part of the intervention, as a catalyst for urban and social changes, capable of giving the neighborhood its own identity. Inspired by the geology of the volcanic island, the project is embedded in the ground and rises with four massive volumes resembling rocks.

The rough texture of the concrete, in contrast with the surrounding buildings, seems to highlight the distance between the wonder of nature and the banality of the built environment. The gaps between the sculptural volumes, featuring metal and glass structures, allow light—an essential element not only for architecture but also for Catholic worship—to enter and illuminate various symbolic sacred areas at different times of the day, each with a unique quality. Additionally, Menis explored the acoustic potential of concrete, mixing it with volcanic stone and achieving perfect acoustics for speech and song.

Among the main religious architecture prizes, the Frate Sole award is given every four years. Previous winners include renowned architects such as Tadao Ando, Álvaro Siza, Richard Meier, John Pawson, and Rafael Moneo. The award ceremony will take place on October 5th in Pavia, Italy.

Opening image: Church of the Holy Redeemer, Las Chumberas, Tenerife. Canary Islands, Spain. Courtesy Roland Halbe