Skuli Mogensen's Open-Air Concrete Temple Realized in Iceland

Icelandic architect Skuli Mogensen has completed El Templo, a religious structure conceived as an open-air sculpture rather than an enclosed building. The project, curated by Nina Vuga, spans 252 m² and was finished in 2025. Measuring roughly 18 meters in length and 14 meters in width, the chapel is built entirely in architectural exposed concrete and remains open to the elements, with no roof or enclosure separating it from the weather. Engineering and consulting services for the structure were provided by VERKIS. Photography of the completed work was carried out by Jon Ragnar. The project falls under the categories of installations and structures, religious architecture, and chapel, positioning it between contemporary art installation and sacred space. By leaving the concrete shell exposed and roofless, Mogensen treats the temple as a sculptural object situated in the landscape, echoing land-art and brutalist precedents while serving a devotional program. The work was submitted to ArchDaily by the project team, which also published a Spanish-language version of the feature alongside the original English text.