“The wall is where urban logic meets site logic – it is the smallest yet most fundamental calibrator of urban structure.”
— Tadao Ando

Church of Light (Tadao Ando’s Masterpiece)

Natural light projecting onto walls and floors creates a living cross of sunlight. Worshipers inside this sacred space witness the cross’s continuous transformation as daylight shifts, experiencing a divine radiance that seems to descend from heaven to redeem humanity.

Tadao Ando, the 1995 Pritzker Prize laureate, infuses his works with profound minimalist philosophy. His signature raw concrete creations embody unwavering dedication to simplicity, tranquility, and solidity.

The Alchemy of Light and Raw Concrete
When Tadao Ando’s raw concrete encounters light…

The Philosophy of Raw Concrete
True to its contextual nature, raw concrete architecture adapts flawlessly to every project’s unique requirements. This modern material solution balances structural integrity, economic efficiency, and aesthetic innovation.

Case Study: Beijing Tianhe Construction


Their formwork system accommodates three precision categories:

  1. Standard raw concrete
  2. Finish raw concrete
  3. Decorative raw concrete

By precisely positioning geometrically shaped components through strategic combinations of plywood, plastic, steel templates, supports, anchors, and connectors, they ensure construction quality, safety, schedule adherence, and cost optimization.

The Artistic Craftsmanship of Tadao Ando
While ordinary projects prioritize final concrete appearance, Ando pursues perfection in every construction detail:

  • Impeccably flat formwork with zero leakage
  • Uniformly sized anchor holes drilled with millimeter precision
  • Vertically aligned anchor rods requiring meticulous positioning

Most builders accept minor template imperfections or anchor misalignments, compensating with onsite modifications or post-construction patching. But Ando transforms formwork into functional art – pouring raw concrete into these meticulously crafted molds before removing them, leaving only the material’s pure expression.

In essence, Ando’s raw concrete structures are not merely buildings but frozen moments of artistic creation, where every crevice and plane tells a story of precision, vision, and architectural poetry.