Rather than stained glass panels, the contemporary structures modulate light through deep, sculpted masonry openings, and special translucent materials like etched glass and thinly cut stone. Of all shapes, the cube seems to be favored, perhaps because it’s relatively simple to adapt to modern building techniques. A church in Finland is a closed wood cube lit with a small roof lantern. A chapel in Spain is a warped concrete cube with narrow openings within its folds.
    What distinguishes these buildings from secular ones is that they reach so directly for beauty, trying to shape an extraordinary physical experience. This is true across religious boundaries: a synagogue in Dresden, a chapel in Mexico, and a prayer pavilion in Sudan are all striving for the sublime. While moving though the book it’s hard to discern what religion each building serves, or to care about it for very long.

Closer to God Religious Architecture and Sacred Spaces (Gestalten)