3/15/2018 AD Classics: Church of the Light / Tadao Ando Architect & Associates I ArchDaily

ArchDaily Projects Churches Japan Tadao Ando Architect & Associates 1999 AD Classics: Church of the Lig

AD Classics: Church of the Light / Tadao Ando Architect &

Associates
01:00- 6 January, 2011 | by Andrew Kroll
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3/15/2018 AD Classics: Church of the Light / Tadao Ando Architect & Associates I ArchDaily

Architects
Tadao Ando Architect & Associates

Location Ibaraki,
Osaka, Japan

Architect
Tadao Ando

References galinsky.com, wikiarquitectura.com,

ando.tableseven.org

Project Year
1999

Photographs
Naoya Fujii, Antje Verena, Wikipedia

Text description provided by the architects. In the small town of Ibaraki, 25km outside of Osaka,
Japan, stands one of Tadao Ando's signature architectural works, the Church of the Light. The
Church of the Light embraces Ando's philosophical framework between nature and architecture
through the way in which light can define and create new spatial perceptions equally, if not more
so, as that of his concrete structures. Completed in 1989, the Church of the Light was a renovation
to an existing Christian compound in Ibaraki. The new church was the first phase to a complete
redesign of the site - later completed in 1999 - under Ando's design aesthetic.

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3/15/2018 AD Classics: Church of the Light / Tadao Ando Architect & Associates I ArchDaily

For Ando, the Church of Light is an architecture of duality - the dual nature of existence - solid/void,
light/dark, stark/serene. The coexisting differences leave the church void of any, and all, ornament
creating a pure, unadorned space. The intersection of light and solid raises the occupants awareness
of the spiritual and secular within themselves.

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The employment of simplistic materials reinforces the duality of the space; the concrete structure
removes any distinction of traditional Christian motifs and aesthetic. Besides an extruded cross
from the east facing facade, the church is composed of a concrete shell; the concrete adds to the
darkness of the church by creating a more humble, meditative place of worship. As a testament to
minimalist architecture, the crosses void in the east facing wall is the only prominent religious
symbol present in the church.

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3/15/2018 AD Classics: Church of the Light / Tadao Ando Architect & Associates I ArchDaily

Formally, Ando's Church of the Light is minimalist and reductive of religious paraphernalia to a
simple cruciform extrusion (Simple Present), which is often criticized as disturbingly empty, void,
and undefined. (Simple Present)

Although it has been stated to be nothing more than six walls and a roof (Passive Sentences/Present
Perfect Continous), there is a whole level of design aesthetic implemented by Ando and his
contractors that is misread and unrecognized by the occupants. (Passive Sentence).

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3/15/2018 AD Classics: Church of the Light / Tadao Ando Architect & Associates I ArchDaily

As a modern, minimalist structure the Church of the Light emits an architectural purity that is found
in the details. The reinforced concrete volume is void of any and all ornament that is not part ofthe
construction process (Simple Present).

The seams and joints of the concrete are built with precision and care by master Japanese
carpenters, along with Ando, that have worked to create an immaculately smooth surface and
accurately aligned joints (Simple Past). So much so, that the seams of the concrete formwork align
perfectly with the crosses extrusion on the east side of the church. (Simple Present)

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C.ZEBALLOS'07

The concrete construction is a reinforcement of Ando's principal focus on simplicity and minimalist
aesthetic; however, the way in which the concrete is poured and formed gives the concrete a
luminous quality when exposed to natural light. Ando's decision to place the cross on the east
faqade allows for light to pour into the space throughout the early morning and into the day, which
has a dematerializing effect on the interior concrete walls transforming the dark volume into an
illuminated box. Ando's approach to light and concrete in the Church of the Light, as well as his
other projects, has a surreal effect that perceptually changes material into immaterial, dark into
light, light into space.

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"In all my works, light is an important controlling factor. I create enclosed spaces mainly by means
of thick concrete walls. The primary reason is to create a place for the individual, a zone for oneself
within society. When the external factors of a city's environment require the wall to be without
openings, the interior must be especially full and satisfying." -Tadao Ando

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Bagi Ando, Church of Light adalah arsitektur dualitas - sifat ganda keberadaan - padat / kosong,
ringan / gelap, sejuk / tenang. Perbedaan yang ada bersama membuat gereja tidak memiliki apapun,
dan semua, ornamen menciptakan ruang murni dan tanpa hiasan. Perpotongan cahaya dan solid
meningkatkan kesadaran penghuni spiritual dan sekuler di dalam diri mereka.

Penggunaan bahan sederhana memperkuat dualitas ruang; Struktur beton menghilangkan

perbedaan motif dan estetika tradisional Kristen. Selain salib yang diekstrusi dari fasad timur, gereja
ini terdiri dari cangkang beton; beton menambah kegelapan gereja dengan menciptakan tempat
ibadah yang lebih sederhana dan meditatif. Sebagai bukti arsitektur minimalis, salib yang kosong di
dinding yang menghadap ke timur adalah satu-satunya simbol religius yang menonjol yang hadir di
gereja tersebut.

For Ando, Church of Light is an Architecture duality or it can be called by the dual nature of
existence as known as solid/void, light/dark, serene. The intersection of light and solid can increase
the occupant’s awareness of the spiritual and secular within themselves

The concrete construction is a reinforcement of Ando’s principal focus on simplicity and minimalist aesthetic.
Ando’s approach to light and concrete in the Church of the Light, as well as his other projects, has a surreal
effect. For Ando’s light is an important controlling factor. Build a place for the individual , a zone of oneself
within society.

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