THE HOLY REDEEMER CHURCH IN TENERIFE: FERNANDO MENIS’S VOLCANIC ARCHITECTURE OF LIGHT AND SILENCE

Where architecture becomes silence, and silence becomes space ! 

In the heart of Las Chumberas, in La Laguna on the island of Tenerife, The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Centre emerges as an architecture of silence, light, and volcanic matter. Designed by Fernando Menis and Menis Arquitectos, the project embodies a vision where spirituality, public space, and territorial identity merge into a single sensory experience.

Set on a 1,590 sqm site, the complex comprises 1,050 sqm of built space, combining community facilities, gathering areas, and the religious building itself. Conceived between 2004 and 2005 and developed through more than sixteen years of construction, the project reflects an architecture shaped slowly over time, like volcanic stone carved by Atlantic winds.

The Holy Redeemer Church establishes a profound dialogue with the volcanic landscape of the Canary Islands. Its raw concrete masses, treated almost as geological formations, capture natural light and transform it into a spiritual presence. Here, architecture does not seek ornamentation; it creates a primal emotion and a sense of introspection. Thick walls shelter the interior from the outside world, while carefully framed openings turn the Tenerife sky into a sacred element in itself.

The Community Centre, completed in 2008, and the church, finalized in 2021, together form a new civic and spiritual heart for Las Chumberas. Developed for the Santísimo Redentor Parish of Las Chumberas in collaboration with the Diocese of Tenerife and the City Hall of La Laguna, the project extends beyond its religious function to become a place of gathering, solidarity, and shared life for the local community.

Fernando Menis’s architectural approach is also grounded in advanced acoustic and constructive research. Through the expressive use of concrete as both a structural and sensory material, the interior atmosphere becomes immersive, a space where voice, music, and silence resonate with equal intensity. Filtered and dramatic natural light accompanies the passing hours, connecting the building to the rhythms of the island.

Balancing contemporary architecture, spirituality, and the memory of the Canarian landscape, The Holy Redeemer Church and Community Centre of Las Chumberas stands as a deeply contextual work. A mineral and luminous refuge where community, contemplation, and hope converge.

project: the holy redeemer church and community centre of las chumberas
location: la laguna, tenerife, canary islands, spain
architecture: Fernando Menis / Menis Arquitectos - menis.es

client: parroquia santísimo redentor de las chumberas, diocese of tenerife, city hall of la laguna
design: 2004–2005
construction: 2005–2022
completion: community centre (2008), church (2021), landscape (2022)
site area: 1,590 sqm
built area: 1,050 sqm
structure: reinforced concrete
structural consultant: juan josé gallardo
acoustics: pedro cerdá / i2a acoustic & audiovisual engineering
lighting: zumtobel / mp lightcan
concrete supplier: cemex spain
formwork systems: peri spain
contractors: construcciones carolina, construcciones ático, solventia ingeniería y construcción

photography: Menis Arquitectos / Simona Rota / Patri Campora / Hisao Suzuki  (c)