Cavite church named finalist at World Architecture Festival

KAWIT, Cavite — The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in this town has been named a finalist at the World Architecture Festival (WAF), one of the industry’s most prestigious global competitions, organizers said.

The church, designed by Dominic Galicia Architects, will compete against other shortlisted projects from around the world at this year’s WAF in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in November.

Organizers said the church stood out not only for its striking form but also for the symbolism embedded in its design. The structure is based on the Vesica Piscis, an ancient Christian symbol formed by two overlapping circles, representing the union of the spiritual and physical worlds.

The church sits on a 19,000-square-meter lot at the entrance of the Evo City mixed-use development in Kawit. It features a 25-meter-high vaulted interior that can accommodate about 1,000 worshippers per Mass, along with an adoration chapel, parish offices and other facilities integrated into the building’s overall symbolic form.

Among its most notable features is its use of natural light. The structure is aligned along an east-west axis, allowing sunlight to shift through the interior over the course of the day. In the morning, light passes through stained-glass windows; in the afternoon, rosary-shaped openings cast colored light that gradually moves across the altar before sunset, organizers said.

WAF organizers described the project as an example of architecture used not just as structure but as an art form that shapes light and space to support prayer, faith and reflection.

The nomination adds to international recognition for Filipino architects, and organizers said it shows how the country’s religious buildings can serve as global models for contemporary design.