1987: Chapel of Saint Peter in Campos de Jordão, SP, Brazil

Photo © Cristiano Mascaro

The Chapel of Saint Peter in Campos de Jordão, SP, Brazil designed by Paulo Mendes da Rocha 2006 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate.

The Chapel of Saint Peter in Campos de Jordão is located near the Boa Vista Palace, which was once a winter residence for the Governor of São Paulo. By constructing the chapel of concrete, glass, and stone, Mendes da Rocha creates the sense of strength and simplicity. Religious spaces flow around a single massive column at the center. A two-story glass façade looks out over a reflecting pool to the distant Mantiquera mountain peaks.

The irregular topography of the building site creates an optical illusion. From the esplanade facing the palace, the chapel appears to be a simple one-story structure.

^{~Pritzker Prize Committee}