Miguel Arraiz revealed Temple of the Deep for Burning Man 2025 in Nevada, United States.

Temple of the Deep is the spectacular new temple that is set to feature at Burning Man 2025. This construction of the  Burning Man festival’s most sacred structure is led by Architect Miguel Arraiz. This marks a moment in history as he becomes the first Spanish architect to do so. Arraiz brings a valiant, moving, and metrical vision to the Black Rock Desert, where the temple will serve as a space of contemplation, metamorphosis, and salvation. The architect is known for his extraordinary work in ephemeral architecture. 

A Monument of Reflection and Healing

The natural rock formation of the Black Rock Desert is a landscape shaped by volcanic activity that inspired the Temple of the Deep.  Its fractured, monolithic design mimics the strength and fragility of geological formations, symbolizing the resilience of the human spirit. This place will provide the visitors with a space where they can celebrate, muse, build a connection with others, grieve, or connect with themselves. It will act as a sanctuary. The Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold known as Kintsugi was the inspiration of Miguel Arraiz. This will be a reminder to the visitors that scars and imperfections are a crucial part of growth and renewal as this concept is used in the temple’s design. It represents the idea of embracing the past while moving forward. 

Architectural Symbolism and Design

Contrary to traditional temples, Burning Man temples are designed to be transient and still sincerely purposeful. The visitors can leave messages and process emotions in the temple as it will act as a communal and spiritual space. At the end of the festival, the structure will be ceremonially burned, signifying release, renewal, and impermanence—a ritual that has become one of Burning Man’s most profound traditions. Miguel Arraiz has integrated Baroque architectural elements into this structure. The structure plays with light, shadow, and texture, letting the visitors process emotions, have personal interpretation, and find solace while experiencing the temple. It respects the context of the place.  

The Meaning Behind the Design

Miguel Arraiz’s approach aligns with the philosophy of the Burning Man. The temple emphasizes a radical acceptance path. Instead of rushing through the transformation and transcending grief, the visitors can process, accept, and embrace their emotions. A core value of the Burning Man is participation and communal effort; which will reflect in the temple as well because the visitors will be participating which will enrich the temple’s meaning. Rather than just being spectators, they will experience the structure and spend time in it while meditating, contemplating, or writing messages. It will contribute to the evolving energy of space. The dual characteristics of strength and fragility are also explored in the design.

The Burning Man 2025 Experience

Burning Man 2025 will take place from August 24 to September 1, 2025, in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. The Temple of the Deep will be a space for transformation. It is more than an architectural structure. The visitors will accept their past, experience the present, and release energy into the fire. Temple of the Deep is a place of art, architecture, and community shaping human experiences. It will be a powerful and memorable installation at Burning Man 2025. By merging architectural innovation with deep symbolic meaning, Arraiz has crafted a temple that will resonate with participants long after the flames have faded.

Citations:

1. Burning Man Journal (2025) ‘Introducing the 2025 BRC Temple: Temple of the Deep’. Available at: https://journal.burningman.org/2025/01/black-rock-city/building-brc/introducing-the-2025-temple/.
2. ArchDaily (2025) ‘Miguel Arraiz Reveals Temple of the Deep for Burning Man 2025 in Nevada, United States’. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/1026145/miguel-arraiz-reveals-temple-of-the-deep-for-burning-man-2025-in-nevada-united-states.
3. El País (2025) ‘Miguel Arraiz, el primer arquitecto español en ‘plantar’ la obra central del festival Burning Man’. Available at: https://elpais.com/cultura/2025-01-20/miguel-arraiz-el-primer-arquitecto-espanol-en-plantar-la-obra-central-del-festival-burning-man.html.

Images:

1. Design rendering of the Temple of the Deep at dusk by Miguel Arraiz. rendering by Arqueha. [Photograph] (https://journal.burningman.org/2025/01/black-rock-city/building-brc/introducing-the-2025-temple/ )
2. Design rendering of the Temple of the Deep at night by Miguel Arraiz. rendering by Arqueha. [Photograph] (https://journal.burningman.org/2025/01/black-rock-city/building-brc/introducing-the-2025-temple/ )
3. The Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold known as Kintsugi. [Photograph] (https://journal.burningman.org/2025/01/black-rock-city/building-brc/introducing-the-2025-temple/ )
4. Arraiz M. Sketches by Miguel Arraiz for Temple of the Deep. [Photograph] (https://journal.burningman.org/2025/01/black-rock-city/building-brc/introducing-the-2025-temple/ )
5. Design renderings of the Temple of the Deep interior by Miguel Arraiz. renderings by Arqueha. [Photograph] (https://journal.burningman.org/2025/01/black-rock-city/building-brc/introducing-the-2025-temple/ )
6. Design rendering of the Temple of the Deep by Miguel Arraiz. Rendering of one of the entrances by Arqueha. [Photograph] (https://journal.burningman.org/2025/01/black-rock-city/building-brc/introducing-the-2025-temple/ )
7. Arraiz N. Miguel Arraiz at Burning Man, 2015. [Photograph] (https://journal.burningman.org/2025/01/black-rock-city/building-brc/introducing-the-2025-temple/ )