Designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, the Bahá’í Temple of South America uses light for its spiritual and design inspiration. Set within the foothills of the Andes bordering the metropolis of Santiago, Chile, it represents the last of eight continental Temples commissioned by the Bahá’í Community. It’s nine monumental glass veils frame an open and accessible worship space where up to 600 visitors can be accommodated. Looking up to the central oculus at the apex of the dome, visitors will experience a mesmerizing transfer of light from the exterior of cast glass to an interior of translucent Portuguese marble. At sunset, the light captured within the dome shifts from white to silver to ochre and purple.

Opened in 2016 and built to last 400 years, there is a hope that the Temple will continue to draw humanity closer to the Divine, to that quest for personal and collective perfection, betterment, refinement, reliance, and a longing for togetherness and unity.

Photos courtesy Hariri Pontarini and Daniela Galdames