Church of the Light, Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan (Scale model, 1:50)

Tadao Ando

1984-89

A wooden 1:50 scale model of Tadao Ando’s Church of the Light made to show how a simple rectangular volume and a cruciform cut in the wall would shape light and create a quiet, spiritual interior.

Seen from above, the austere box reads like a carved sculpture — a diagonal partition and a narrow cross-shaped slit animate the heavy walls while neat rows of benches emphasize the long perspective and the drama of light versus solid.

The work exemplifies Ando’s minimalist use of geometry, mass, and natural light to create sacred space and helped popularize a spare, contemplative architectural language in late 20th-century design.

Palette

Art Terms

Architectural model Architecture Built environment Form Minimalism

Exhibitions

Architecture of Museums

1968

Modern Architecture: International Exhibition

1932

Architectural Models from the Collection

1974

Built in USA: Post-War Architecture

1953