A Modernist Church Set in Stone: The Story Behind the Temppeliaukio Kirkko in Helsinki, Finland

Near the center of Helsinki, Finland, in the Töölö neighborhood, one can find the Temppeliaukio Church, an unusual-looking Lutheran church nestled between granite rocks. Approaching the square from Fredrikinkatu street, the church appears subtly, a flat dome barely rising above its surrounding landscape. An unassuming entrance, flanked by concrete walls, leads visitors through a dark hallway, and into the light-filled sanctuary carved directly into the bedrock. The exposed rock walls earned it the alternative name “The Church of the Rock.” To contrast the heaviness of the materials, skylights surrounding the dome create a play of light and shadows and a feeling of airiness.

In the heart of Kochi, at a chaotic street corner locally known as Cemetery Mukku, a gentle architectural gesture rises above the noise—neither monumental nor monumentalized, but quietly radical. This Anganwadi by Fahed + Architects reimagines public architecture for early childhood care in India.

Cabana Solena - Mata is part of a rural complex in the countryside of Flores da Cunha, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Focused on providing an immersive experience in nature, the cabin offers a full connection with the surrounding landscape.

This project involves the construction of a small office building located in a residential neighborhood, with Ecoplan Corporation—a company dedicated to the study of wildlife and vegetation—as its primary tenant.