Church of Saint-Jacques de la Rounde: Sculptural composition of white concrete and filtered light

The newly built Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande, by the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira, is a bold complex of squeezed geometry that reflects and expands the architectural language that monotonically surrounds its residential areas. Known for his poetic treatment of modernism, Siza's sculptural use of concrete and light creates an awe-inspiring space that speaks of spirituality and piety.

This detached building, which is 12 meters high and is made of reinforced white concrete formed by wooden planks, is built of the same materials in perfect harmony with the adjacent five-storey residential complex. Superimposed on a square plane, the central cylindrical mass is surrounded by four rectangular towers of the same height. A separate canopy indicates the main entrance, while a cantilevered semi-cylinder jutting out from the opposite side is an abstract interpretation of the traditional semicircular apse, the only hint of the building's religious function other than the slender bell tower.