The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Centre in Las Chumberas, on the outskirts of La Laguna in Tenerife, has been honored as the 2025 World Building of the Year by the World Architecture Festival (WAF). Designed by Fernando Menis, this striking concrete complex is a place of worship and a powerful representative of urban renewal in a neighborhood long neglected by formal development.
The project comprises four independent volumes constructed in phases that together host a church, a community center, and a public square. This phased approach emerged out of necessity; the building was funded by modest contributions from local parishioners, and the irregular flow of donations directly shaped its incremental construction.
Architectural Form, Material Strategy, and Light Design of the Holy Redeemer Church
Menis’s architectural concept draws heavily on the volcanic geology of Tenerife. The volumes are rough, monumental, and sculptural, evoking raw rock rather than conventional architectural form. Between these massive forms, narrow fissures filled with glass and sculptural metal allow daylight to penetrate, producing a quiet, contemplative interior.
Light plays a central role in the spatial experience. Rather than relying on traditional windows, the church is illuminated through a cross-shaped roof aperture. As the sun moves, the shifting light sculpts the interior surfaces, guiding visitors through different zones and creating a sense of spiritual progression.
Exposed concrete mixed with volcanic stone serves as both structure and finish. The concrete walls are thick, which enhances thermal inertia, making the building more energy efficient. Acoustically, Menis employed an inventive solution: chipped concrete blended with volcanic aggregate absorbs sound so effectively that the space achieves sound control comparable to an opera house, well-suited for both speech and singing.
Beyond the formal and material qualities, what makes this project especially compelling is its social mission. In a fragmented urban landscape, the church and community center provide a civic anchor, a shared space where residents can gather, worship, and engage in communal life. By coordinating the symbolic role of the church with everyday community needs, Menis has created an architecture that truly belongs to its place.
Judges at the World Architecture Festival praised the building’s “intensity” and its skillful use of natural light, especially how illumination shapes the tactile concrete surfaces. They also noted how the design strikes a balance between the symbolic weight of a sacred building and the practical demands of a community centered on serving its neighborhood holistically.
For Fernando Menis, the award is deeply personal. He commented that the recognition is not only for him but for the entire Las Chumberas community, which will now be seen beyond the island of Tenerife.
The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Centre exemplifies architecture that is at once raw and refined, monumental and intimate, and symbolic and pragmatic. By leveraging local materials, phased funding, and thoughtful spatial strategy, Menis has produced a project that is both rooted in its context and globally resonant, a truly deserving recipient of the World Building of the Year honor.
Explore Courses
.jpg "Ondrej Chybik - Rethinking Architecture")
