The Church of the Most Holy Redeemer in Las Chumberas, designed by the Canarian architect Fernando Menis, has been awarded the ADF Design Excellence Award 2025. This accolade is granted by the Aoyama Design Forum (ADF) Foundation in Japan. Since its inception in 2020, this award annually highlights excellence in architectural design on a global scale.
The project will be featured in an exhibition at the Milan Design Week, alongside the other two award-winning works from the ADF Foundation: the Kunstsilo cultural building in Norway and the Maatulli School in Finland. The exhibition, organised in collaboration with the Milan Architects’ Association and the Japanese interior design firm Garde, will be open for public viewing at Garde’s headquarters on Via Tortona 37, from 8 to 13 April 2025.
Inspired by Volcanic Geology, the Project Will Feature in the Milan Design Exhibition
In its fifteenth edition, the jury consisted of ten prominent professionals in the field. Among them were Alberto Bortolotti, Vice President of the Milan Architects’ Association; Keat Ong, President of the Asia-Pacific Designers Association; Dawn Lim, Executive Director of the Singapore Design Council; and Sanmitra Chitte, Dean of the World University of Design and President of the Designers Association of India.
The Church of the Most Holy Redeemer in Las Chumberas has been made possible by the commitment of the Bishopric of Tenerife, along with the involvement of the parish community, local residents, and several local entrepreneurs.
Funding Achieved Through Donations, Demonstrating Collective Effort
Designed to revitalise and provide a focal point for the neighbourhood, its funding has been secured through donations, symbolising a collective effort.
Its innovative and expressive architecture, inspired by the island’s volcanic geology, plays with natural light, exposed concrete with various textures, and local volcanic stone to create a modest space that blends functionality and beauty, renowned for its acoustic quality and energy efficiency.
This award adds to a series of accolades received by the work due to its architectural uniqueness, including the International Frate Sole Award for Sacred Architecture 2024 and the International Religious Architecture Award 2022, bestowed by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Faith & Form organisation. Additionally, the work is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
With this new accolade, a small church in the Las Chumberas neighbourhood solidifies its place in the international architectural scene as a benchmark for innovative design and social commitment.
