Sacred buildings are disappearing from our cities at an alarming rate. In parts of North Rhine-Westphalia, up to two-thirds of local churches face closure within the next decade. The impact extends far beyond the loss of religious sites—these buildings represent vital cultural anchors for urban communities, irreplaceable in their historical, architectural, and social significance. Sacred buildings have long stood as architectural achievements of exceptional power, their design and presence shaping the aesthetic identity of entire communities. Now, the Federal Association of Architectural Photography in North Rhine-Westphalia (BVAF NRW), in partnership with the Chamber of Architects of North Rhine-Westphalia, presents "Special Spaces – Sacred Architecture in Transition," an exhibition exploring this critical moment of change. –

Running from October 1 to November 21 at the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Architects in Düsseldorf's Media Harbour, this exhibition showcases architectural photographers' distinctive vision of sacred buildings and their lasting presence. The photographs and series explore classic churches from the 1930s through 1970s, while also capturing contemporary approaches to restoration and adaptive reuse. Alongside these, newly constructed places of worship – including both a church and a mosque – reveal how sacred architecture continues to evolve. What emerges is striking: these spaces hold profound significance as architecture, regardless of their original function.

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