Architect Mario Botta’s work can be found around the world, from San Francisco to Switzerland. Now the Swiss architect’s work can be seen on the big screen in the new documentary Mario Botta: The Space Beyond , which will be shown this month as part of the Architecture and Design Film Festival in New York. Directed by Loretta Dalpozzo and Michèle Volontè, the film follows the 76-year-old architect as he travels the world to oversee projects and prepares for an exhibition of his work in Locarno, Switzerland. “I chose to behave as naturally as possible, without thinking too much about the filming process,” he says of the making of the film. “I must admit that the result is a true slice of life that shows my daily life made of work, engagements, and travels.”

Cymbalista Synagogue and Jewish Heritage Center in Tel Aviv.

Botta is known for his sacred spaces, such as the San Giovanni Battista Church in Mogno, Switzerland, and the Cymbalista Synagogue and Jewish Cultural Center in Tel Aviv, and the directors chose to focus on this area of his practice. “We knew that it was impossible to enclose all his work in 80-90 minutes, but by choosing his sacred buildings as a theme, we could narrow down his long career to buildings that are full of meaning but still stretch through decades of his work,” says Dalpozzo. The filmmakers still had to choose from Botta’s many designs for houses of worship and decided to showcase a building from each monotheistic religion. “We also wanted buildings from the past, the present (building sites), and the future (projects still on paper),” says Dalpozzo. “Mogno’s church was a must, because it is one of his most famous churches and the one who convinced him to explore the subject further. Finally, the exhibition on sacred spaces, and the beautiful models in it, was the perfect expedient to show other buildings, without filming all of them.”

The filmmakers traveled to Korea, China, Israel, Italy, and Switzerland to film Botta (pictured here) and his buildings.

“The rhythm of the production was intense, because Mr. Botta always runs, and so we run with him,” says Dalpozzo. “The filming spread over five months; we worked around his schedule, as nothing was set up. We went where he went when it suited our subject.”

While some architecture documentaries focus solely on the designs, this film shows the day-to-day life of the architect, from navigating client concerns to working with his children at his office. One fascinating section of the film shows Botta’s process as he designs the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary in Namyang, South Korea. Viewers travel alongside Botta as he meets with artist Giuliano Vangi in Italy, presents Vangi’s designs to the client in Korea, and later brings artist and client together in Vangi’s studio—the point when the collaboration truly materializes.

San Giovanni Battista Church in Mogno, Switzerland.

The ultimate resource for design industry professionals, brought to you by the editors of Architectural Digest

Botta’s fascination and passion for sacred spaces is evident throughout the film. “What draws me [to sacred spaces] is the millennary history characterizing these building typologies,” he says. “When designing I’m not so interested in the future as I am in the values of the great past.” The film also offers a peek at the architect’s first mosque, which will be built in Yinchuan, China.

In addition to his work at his busy practice, Botta has joined the directors as they tour with the film, and will take part in a Q&A following a screening in New York on October 16.