Below are the world’s top religious architecture, design and art spaces for 2016, according to US Faith & Form magazine and the Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art and Architecture (IFRAA).
Each year the organisation recognises the work of design professionals creating meaningful religious art and architecture across the globe and in 2016, 28 projects have awarded across 13 categories.
Reflecting on the entries as a whole, the five-member jury says they were impressed with range of work and the variety of responses to the continuously evolving ideas about how to create sacred environments, for every family of belief in the world.
They also observed that many of the submissions used natural light in creative ways, making it part of the sacred environment both in architecture and art works.
“While natural light has long been a way to convey a sense of immanence in religious art and architecture, the jury noted that it also contributes to sustainability and helps to reduce energy costs,” Faith & Form says.
Jurors were also impressed with how designers used an economy of means with simple, elegant materials to meet the needs of congregations. A reverence for natural materials was seen in many submissions, and in winning projects.
Faith & Form's 2016 Religious Architecture Awards
NEW FACILITIES
Jumaa Mosque, Doha by John McAslan + Partners
Image: McAslan + Partners
Chapel of St. Ignatius, Chicago by John Ronan Architects
Photography by Nathan Kirkman
Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Alojzij Sustar Primary School, Ljubljana by Robert Dolinar
Photography by Luca Markez
Totihue Chapel, Totihue by Gonzalo Mardonrs Arquitectos
Photography by Nico Saieh
Al Warqa'a Mosque, Dubai by Iba Design
Photography by Sadao Hotta
Chinmaya Mission Austin, Austin by Miro Rivera Architects
Photography by Paul Finkel
The Joyful Church, Pohang by The Beck Group
Photography by Seunghoon Yum
St. Francis Chapel, Breckenridge by Stocker Hoesterey Architects
Photography by Nicholas McWhirter
ADAPTIVE REUSE/REPURPOSE
Temple Israel of Hollywood, Los Angeles by Koning Eizenberg Architecture
Photography by Eric Staudenmaier
RESTORATION
St Patrick's Cathedral, New York by Murphy Burnham & Buttrick Architects
Photography by Whitney Cox
Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun Synagogue, New York by FXFOWLE
Photography by Chris Cooper
RENOVATION
St. Cecilia Church, Boston by Donham & Sweeney Architects
Photography by Bruce Martin
LITURGICAL/INTERIOR DESIGN
Palm Beach Synagogue, Florida by Arthur Chabon Architect
Photography by Kim Sargent
Knock Basilica Interior Design, Knock by Wejchert Architects
Photography by Peter Moloney
Temple Adath Israel, Merion Station by Atkin Olshin Schade Architects
Photography by Tom Crane
Sacred Heart Cathedral of Kericho, Kericho by John McAslan + Partners
Photography by Edmund Sumner
SACRED LANDSCAPE
8-Shaped Passage, Tokyo by Shoji Oshio + UA Architects
Photography by Masaru Niimi
LITURGICAL FURNISHINGS
Baptismal Font; St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Oceanside by Dekker, Perich and Sabatini
Image: RMA Photography
Pipe Organ; St. Dustan's Episcopal Church, Carmel Valley by Dobson Pipe Organ Builders
Photography by Sherman Chu
Torah Ark, Bema and Screen; Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School, California by Studio Bondy Architecture
Photography by Ken Gutmaker
UNBUILT WORK
Basilica de N.Senora de la Merced Facade Rehab, Madrid by Eleftherios Piskitzis
Image: Eleftherrios Piskitzis
VISUAL ARTS
"Mary As Prophet"; Virginia Theological Seminary, Virginia by Margaret Adams Parker
Photography by B. Cayce Ramey
"Mysteries of the Rosary"; Our Lady of Loreto, Colorado by Scott Parsons
Photography by Steve Maylone
STUDENT WORK
Cathedral of St. Thomas, Cochin by Ranjit John Korah
"City of Spirits", Recife by Rafael Paes
"Pop-Up Places of Worship", various locations by Lucas Boyd and Chad Greenlee
"The Chapel of St. Adalbert", Fisewo by Filip Strezelecki
"The Procession of the Souls", Swinford by Travis Architects with the Catholic University of America
Photography by Travis Price
