Who designed the Lotus Temple in New Delhi?

Fariborz Sahba designed the Lotus Temple in New Delhi.

Sahba, an Iranian architect, was selected in 1976 by the Baháʼí Faith’s international governing body to design its House of Worship for the Indian subcontinent. He also oversaw the project, which took roughly a decade from design work to completion. The temple opened in December 1986 in the Kalkaji area of New Delhi.

The building’s famous form abstracts a lotus flower, a symbol with deep cultural importance across South Asia. Its 27 marble-clad petals are arranged in groups of three to create nine sides, while nine entrances lead into the central hall. The design combines a concrete structural frame with prefabricated ribbed roof elements.

A common mix-up is to attribute the temple to a famous European or American modernist such as Le Corbusier or Louis Kahn. They did not design it. Sahba’s work earned major architectural recognition, including a 1987 award from the Institution of Structural Engineers. As a Baháʼí House of Worship, the temple welcomes visitors of every religion.