Since the dawn of architecture, man has glorified God by erecting buildings like no other of their time.  The sacred places of the 21^st century are no different in they are unlike no other structures of our time,  but unlike their historic counter-parts they are not reflections of painted angels, heavenly reaching spires, and heavy gothic architecture, but of the nature’s elements and principles of space, form, line and light.

From the tiny, yet inspired, Chilean Junquillos Chapel to the Finnish St. Henry’s Ecumenical Art Chapel, who’s structure is so surreal there are no words to describe it, Robert Klanten and Lukas Feireiss brought together  these and 90-some other awe-inspiring examples of the most modern religious architecture of our time.

Purchase Closer to God: Religious Architecture and Sacred Spaces, edited by Robert Klanten and Lukas Feireiss, Gestalten, $69 through; amazon.com. Copyright Gestalten 2010

Church of Santo Volto, Turin, Italy Design: Mario Botta

Lumen Centre, London, UK   Design: Theis and Khan Architects

Lilja Chapel of Silence, Portable chapel, Finland  Design: Vesa Oiva

Junquillos Chapel:Junquillos, Biobío, Chile  Design: Baladrón & Grass

St. Henry’s Ecumenical Art Chapel: Turku, Finland   Design: Sanaksenaho Architects