On October 29th, Siamak Hariri took to the podium at Ryerson's School of Architecture to introduce the Paul H. Cocker Gallery's new exhibit, which celebrates the design evolution and engineering process of the Hariri-designed Bahá'í Temple of South America, currently under construction in Santiago, Chile. 

Bahá'í Temple of South America, image courtesy of Hariri Pontarini

Hariri's introductory talk, entitled Embodied Light: Physical and Digital Explorations of the Bahá’í Temple of South America, provided insight into the design principles and technological innovations that are making the acclaimed project possible.

Despite being a founding partner—together with co-founder David Pontarini—of Toronto's Hariri Pontarini, one of Canada's pre-eminent architectural firms, the acclaimed architect admitted that even bidding for the project was an intimidating notion at first. "Initially, I had absolutely no intention of even bidding for it, as I didn't think we were worthy of such a project," Hariri told the audience.

Siam Hariri introduces the design, image by Stefan Novakovic

However, after eventually becoming convinced to bid, Hariri and his team proposed a conceptual aesthetic based in exploring the interaction between natural light and built form. "The wonderfully irregular shape of Japanese baskets," and the translucent 'warmth' of alabaster were the key early inspirations of Hariri's nascent design, helping gradually evolve the project towards its current form.

The design process created a unique structure designed to "embody" the natural light that enters into it from outside, creating a softly lit ambiance inside. However, making the structure physically stable involved a great deal of technological innovation, which is highlighted in the exhibit. Expected to be completed in 2016, the project has been met with great interest from the international design community, and already stands as an elegant—though unfinished—icon of the city below.

The exhibit displays many of the unique materials used in the project, image by Stefan Novakovic

Following Hariri's introductory remarks, the exhibit was officially opened to the public. Featuring a collection of drawings and scale models, the exhibit highlights the evolution and aesthetic principles of the design. In addition, an impressive selection of the custom materials and forms used—many of which were made in a highly specialized German plant—is also displayed, charting the technological innovations needed to make Hariri's vision come to life. 

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