Saint-Pierre, Firminy
Encyclopedia
Saint-Pierre is a concrete
building in the commune of Firminy
, France
. The last major work of Le Corbusier
, it was completed in 2006, forty-one years after his death.
Designed to be a church in the model city of Firminy Vert, the construction of Saint-Pierre was begun in 1971, six years after Le Corbusier's death in 1965. Due to local political conflicts it remained stalled from 1975 to 2003, when the local government declared the mouldering concrete ruin an "architectural heritage" and financed its completion. It has been used for many different purposes, as a secondary school and as a shelter. As the laicist French state may not use public funds for religious buildings, Saint-Pierre is now used as a cultural venue.
The building was completed by the French architect, José Oubrerie
, Le Corbusier's student for many years.
In the World Architecture Survey
of 2010, the building was ranked as second in the rankings of the top structures built in the twenty-first century, receiving four votes. American architect Peter Eisenman
asserted in his response that this building is the most important structure built since 1980.
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
building in the commune of Firminy
Firminy
Firminy is a commune in the Loire department in central France.It lies on the Ondaine River 8 mi. S.W. of Saint-Étienne by rail.-Sights:Two historic churches from the 12th and 16th centuries are located here...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The last major work of Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
, it was completed in 2006, forty-one years after his death.
Designed to be a church in the model city of Firminy Vert, the construction of Saint-Pierre was begun in 1971, six years after Le Corbusier's death in 1965. Due to local political conflicts it remained stalled from 1975 to 2003, when the local government declared the mouldering concrete ruin an "architectural heritage" and financed its completion. It has been used for many different purposes, as a secondary school and as a shelter. As the laicist French state may not use public funds for religious buildings, Saint-Pierre is now used as a cultural venue.
The building was completed by the French architect, José Oubrerie
José Oubrerie
José Oubrerie is a French architect and author. He was a protégé of Le Corbusier. He is currently a Professor of Architecture at the Knowlton School of Architecture in Columbus, Ohio at the Ohio State University.- Projects :...
, Le Corbusier's student for many years.
In the World Architecture Survey
World Architecture Survey
The World Architecture Survey was conducted in 2010 by the American magazine Vanity Fair, to determine the most important works of contemporary architecture...
of 2010, the building was ranked as second in the rankings of the top structures built in the twenty-first century, receiving four votes. American architect Peter Eisenman
Peter Eisenman
Peter Eisenman is an American architect. Eisenman's professional work is often referred to as formalist, deconstructive, late avant-garde, late or high modernist, etc...
asserted in his response that this building is the most important structure built since 1980.