Oscar Niemeyer, Church of St Francis of Assisi (1943)
The Brazilian master of curved concrete made his mark with the Pampulha Architectural Complex, which showcased the radical Church of St. Francis of Assisi. This modernist touchstone with a parabolic roof and polychromatic tiles was such a departure from existing forms that one politician suggested demolishing it.
From the scale and ambition of Europe’s grand cathedrals to humble roadside buildings turned into places of spiritual retreat, church architecture has always been a fertile field for artistic expression and technological innovation. And while the form is literally thousands of years old, it doesn’t mean that new spins on established forms can’t continue to amaze.
Dwell rounded up some of the most innovative examples of church construction, featuring modern masters such as Le Corbusier and Niemeyer.
