A proposal developed for the Bahá’í Temple in Brasília. As the religion was founded in the 19th century by an Iranian, almost all Bahá’í temples have nine doors, nine sides and/or nine corners. Building on this premise, the project proposes an architectural design that is integrated into the Cerrado landscape, organised around nine doors that connect the temple to its surroundings. With an almost nonagonal floor plan, the design combines exposed concrete, a Glulam (Glued Laminated Timber) structure and natural light, bringing together contemplation and sustainability in a complex that has a strong connection to the local area.
The architecture seeks a Brazilian materiality and a design language that reconciles seemingly opposing concepts — geometry and organic form, symmetry and dynamism, transcendence and earthly presence. Natural light plays a central role, tracing the sun’s movements within the temple and contributing to a spiritual atmosphere. In addition to the main building, the complex includes two complementary structures designed for community life, arranged around internal courtyards.
The liturgical simplicity of the Bahá’í tradition guides the temple’s interior design. The space is abstract and unadorned, devoid of images or figurative representations, allowing spirituality to manifest itself through light and the architecture itself. The Portuguese cobblestone paving extends from the interior to the temple’s outer ring, reinforcing the continuity between the interior space and the landscape.
The structural system combines reinforced concrete and glued laminated timber. Nine concrete pillars are embedded in the outer perimeter, whilst wooden pillars inside form the threshold and support the latticework that filters the light, as well as the slab and the dome.