Cathedral of Santiago was conceived for a competition held by the Diocese of Queretaro. The project challenges the role of a cathedral in today’s context, especially when, religious buildings are being repurposed for non-religious uses in other parts of the world.

Our approach was to provide an unornamented and inclusive public building in a quadrant of the city that lacks places of interaction. Its materiality is a reflection of the local resources and the craftsmanship of the city, strengthening its identity and belongingness by empowering the locals and reducing its carbon footprint.

Beauty is a spiritual necessity. It speaks to us of a greater being, and is a door to transcendence. Through its delicate attention to solids, voids, light, and shadow, we understand the cathedral as an interstice between heaven and earth.