MADAGASCAR
Moramanga Church
The Frate Sole Foundation, in collaboration with YAC - Young Architects Competitions, launched the competition Moramanga Churchaimed at building a new church for the community of Moramanga, in the region of Alaotra Mangoro, Madagascar.
The initiative stems from the desire to shape an architecture capable of uniting nature, spirituality and community life. Participants were asked to answer fundamental questions:
- How to create relational spaces in harmony with the natural environment?
- How to reconcile progress and local identity?
- How can architecture be transformed into a place of communion, capable of reflecting the spiritual values of the community?
The site of the competition is the city of Moramanga, where the Catholic Diocese is committed to social development through new church structures, training and educational initiatives.
About 200 international teams took part in the competition. The projects were assessed by a jury of excellence, consisting of architects, teachers, artists and church representatives, including: Michele De Lucchi, Rosario Vella (Bishop of Moramanga), Giuseppe Zampieri, Edoardo Tresoldi, Paolo Zermani, together with the President of the Frate Sole Foundation Luigi Leoni.
They were assigned first three prizes, two Gold Mention, ten Honorable Mention and thirty finalist projects.
First prize - 'One Roof' by Jisu Lee
A large roof as a symbol of unity: life, faith and nature come together under one roof. The use of local materials makes the work a collective act of memory and identity.Second prize - 'Beneath the same sky' by Anna-Lena Sehm (team Sehm Waidele)
The church is designed as a protective and unifying gesture. The roof, inspired by local tradition, lifts the gaze to the sky while maintaining the link with the earth.Third prize - 'Presence and Void' by the R²C team (Ruhin Alibayli, Ramid Salimov, Cavid Cabbarov)
A reflection on the balance between fullness and emptiness: a central courtyard encourages interaction and introspection, surrounded by a welcoming and symbolic church, built from local materials.
The award ceremony will be held on 3 October 2025 in Pavia, at the ANCE headquarters. It will be an opportunity to celebrate young talents and reflect on the social and spiritual value of architecture. In the afternoon, the winners will talk to high school students, inviting them to get involved in future competitions dedicated to them.
With Moramanga Church, the Frate Sole Foundation renews its mission: to promote places of worship that, through dialogue between art, faith and community, become a concrete sign of hope and the future.
