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Swiss architect Mario Botta, whose first ever exhibition in the UK, The Architecture of the Sacred: Prayers in Stone, opens to the public at The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) on 23 November, will actually complete the display himself when he comes to London to open the event. He will add an original sketch to the exhibition which will be prepared on blackboard on the day of the opening (22 November).

The exhibition Mario Botta: The Architecture of the Sacred: Prayers in Stone is a display of twelve sacred spaces, which make up a unique body of work. These projects are explored through text, image and a series of spectacular models. They include the stunning church St John the Baptist set in a mountain basin at Mogno, Switzerland, the Cymbalista Synagogue in Tel Aviv and the spectacular Chapel of St. Mary of the Angels on the mountain-side at Tamaro, Switzerland.

In recent years Mario Botta has focussed on public buildings with some emphasis on sacred architecture. Projects such as Evry Cathedral have shown that he is able to raise architecture to new heights and transform urban settings. He will speak about his most recent projects, including the renovation of La Scala Theatre in Milan, the Leeum Museum in Seoul and Noahs Ark sculpture garden in Jerusalem.

Mario Botta is concerned with the idea that architecture comes into being with light. He says: Light generates space: without light, space does not exist. Natural light brings plastic forms to life, shapes the surfaces of materials, controls and balances geometric lines. The space generated by light is the soul of the act of architecture. I am delighted that this exhibition is coming to London a city known for its appreciation of contemporary architecture.

This rather excellent book is the catalogue of the exhibition. It features 12 projects examined in detail - photos, plans, sketches and text - along with some essays on this graceful architect. And it doesn't have page numbers, which is really rare. So go to the show, buy the book. And if you can't make the show, then buy the book. Simple.