CAZA offers 'spiritual inclusiveness' with la salle church in binan city, the philippines

as part of its larger masterplan for de la salle university in binan city, the philippines, CAZA unveils its design for a new, inclusive religious space. called ‘la salle church’, the building is currently under construction and is set to be completed by the second quarter of 2021. composed of a series of circular-shaped volumes, the design prioritizes community, wellbeing, and forging a connection with the surrounding landscape.

images courtesy of CAZA

situated within the bustling tech innovation campus, la salle church intends to welcome individuals inside and make them part of a larger, connected group. an outer skin made up of vertical slats creates a semi-outdoor space that helps transition worshipers from the busy university environment into quiet, sacred areas. this rhythmic outer skin also helps to break up the massive volume of the building, endowing the elevational treatment with lightness and permeability. 

viewed from the outside, the building appears amorphous and mysterious, smooth and loose in its shape. to emphasize the connection with the surrounding wooded landscape, the exterior uses raw and unfinished materials. the materiality changes as you penetrate the space, shifting to softwoods and brass. fourteen individual doors lead worshippers to a double-height central core. this drum-like congregation space has a tilted ceiling, further emphasizing the connection between the individual, the sacred space, and nature.

floor plan

sections

long sections

project info:

name: la salle church
location: binan city, laguna, philippines
architect: CAZA
architect of record: NSI architecture planner consultancy
project team: carlos arnaiz, laura del pino, tzu-yin wang, alex tseng
client: de la salle university – science & technology complex
consultants: meliton a. nague, atm electrical engineering consultant, jose marius r. tuazon, sean bryner s. rey
status: under construction
images: courtesy of CAZA