Fai Au was born in Guangzhou, China but studied overseas and now resides in Hong Kong and runs O Studio Architects. He designed the Church of Seed in Guangzhou in 2010 and has recently received the 2011 HKIA Medal of the Year for Projects outside Hong Kong. The church is located on Luofu mountain, which is part of a famous set of Taoist mountains with lots of Buddhist and Taoist temples in the area. However there is little in the way of Western religion in the area, and the developer sought to widen peoples culural horizons.Not only is it space for local Christians, but it also acts as community centre for local villagers. It is called the Church of seed as the buildings concept and eventual form are based upon the form of a seed. The concrete was made using bamboo formwork (fantastic!) and helps the building meld with its environment. A sustainable and fascinating project.
