Tenerife Church Crowned World Building of the Year
The Church of the Holy Redeemer in Las Chumberas, designed by Canary Islands architect Fernando Menis, has been awarded the prestigious World Building of the Year prize at the World Architecture Festival (WAF), held last week in Miami, USA. The project also received the Special Prize for Best Small Building and the award for Best Public Building, making it the most celebrated project of the entire event.
A Celebration of Light and Texture
The jury highlighted “the intensity of the architecture and the way light has been used to shape the quality and nature of the interior spaces, enhancing the tactile quality of the surfaces.” They also emphasized that “the project will become an essential contribution to the architectural history of Tenerife.”
A Symbol of Collective Effort
In his acceptance speech, Fernando Menis stated that the church “was made possible thanks to the commitment of the Bishopric of Tenerife and the involvement of the parish, parishioners, neighbors, and some local businesses.” He added that the building was conceived to help revitalize the neighborhood and become a local landmark, and that the project was realized “through donations,” making it a “symbol of collective effort.”
Inspired by Volcanic Landscapes
The temple’s innovative and expressive architecture draws direct inspiration from the island’s volcanic geology. The design masterfully plays with natural light, exposed concrete in various textures, and local volcanic stone. The result is an austere space that combines functionality and beauty, renowned for both its exceptional acoustics and energy efficiency.
A Global Architectural Stage
The WAF Awards are considered one of the top accolades in the global architectural sector. Each year, the three-day festival brings together leading studios and professionals for a program of live presentations, debates, and conferences. A distinctive feature of the competition is that teams must defend their projects before an international jury in public sessions. The 2024 edition gathered over a thousand professionals from more than fifty countries, cementing its global character.
Prestigious Jury and Growing Accolades
For its 17th edition, the WAF jury was composed of prestigious figures from the architectural and cultural world, hailing from academic institutions, museums, and specialist publications. Among them were Mohsen Mostafavi, Professor and former Dean of Harvard’s Graduate School of Design; Sir Peter Cook, architect and co-founder of Archigram; Beatrice Galilee, Associate Curator of Architecture and Design at New York’s Metropolitan Museum; and Jonathan Glancey, critic and journalist.
This latest honor adds to the numerous awards the building has received for its unique architecture. Notable prizes include the 2024 International “Frate Sole” Prize for Sacred Architecture, the 2022 International Religious Architecture & Art Award—given by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Faith & Form—and the 2025 ADF Design Award from Japan’s Aoyama Foundation. Furthermore, the project is part of the permanent collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
Putting Canarian Architecture on the Map
With this award, this small church in the Tenerife neighborhood of Las Chumberas solidifies the presence of the Canary Islands on the international architectural scene, establishing itself as a benchmark for innovation and excellence in design.
