Allan Toft
| Church of the Light, Osaka, Japan, 1988 |
The sculpting of space through the use of light has been at the core of many an architect’s work. In the case of Tadao Ando’s projects, it takes form in the theme of duality. His Church of the Light is no exception, as it expresses that duality through a play of light and shadow. The chapel’s east wall features a cruciform cutout that brings brilliant morning sunlight into the minimalist interior. That light draws a sharp contrast to the solidity of the bare, reinforced-concrete enclosure and dark wood floor and pews. The density of the specially formulated concrete creates a glasslike surface that registers the changing quality of light throughout the day and diffuses it throughout the space. Ando’s understanding of light as a form-maker makes a powerful architectural statement.