Sainte-Bernardette du Banlay, Nevers

The Sainte-Bernadette du Banlay church at Nevers was built from 1964 to 1965 to the designs of the architects Claude Parent and Paul Virilio, working on their theme of the oblique function. It was the fruit of an architectural competition organised in 1963 by Monseigneur Vial and the Abbé Bourgoin,...

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Main Authors: Christophe Joly, Orlane Brault, Paul Barnoud
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication 2009-11-01
Series:In Situ
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/insitu/6444
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author Christophe Joly
Orlane Brault
Paul Barnoud
author_facet Christophe Joly
Orlane Brault
Paul Barnoud
author_sort Christophe Joly
collection DOAJ
description The Sainte-Bernadette du Banlay church at Nevers was built from 1964 to 1965 to the designs of the architects Claude Parent and Paul Virilio, working on their theme of the oblique function. It was the fruit of an architectural competition organised in 1963 by Monseigneur Vial and the Abbé Bourgoin, the parish priest. The church’s architecture is inspired by that of defensive bunkers. Two reinforced concrete shells are joined the one into the other but out of true on a longitudinal axis. The overall appearance of the church is that of a monolithic block, something like a rock. Inside, two large oblique planes seem to emerge to create the nave and the chancel. Closely related to the Lourdes grotto of the Virgin’s appearances, the church is designed as a suspended crypt which adopts the shape of a heart in its cross section. By using untreated concrete and sky lighting, the architects succeeded in giving an astonishing intimacy to the church. There is a striking opposition between the austere exterior volume and the welcoming and protective space inside. The architects expressed a new function for the church in an age of uncertainty and tension.
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spelling doaj-art-c27984c75df64bfe8f1ad0a32e5df55c2025-08-20T01:54:40ZfraMinistère de la Culture et de la CommunicationIn Situ1630-73052009-11-011210.4000/insitu.6444Sainte-Bernardette du Banlay, NeversChristophe JolyOrlane BraultPaul BarnoudThe Sainte-Bernadette du Banlay church at Nevers was built from 1964 to 1965 to the designs of the architects Claude Parent and Paul Virilio, working on their theme of the oblique function. It was the fruit of an architectural competition organised in 1963 by Monseigneur Vial and the Abbé Bourgoin, the parish priest. The church’s architecture is inspired by that of defensive bunkers. Two reinforced concrete shells are joined the one into the other but out of true on a longitudinal axis. The overall appearance of the church is that of a monolithic block, something like a rock. Inside, two large oblique planes seem to emerge to create the nave and the chancel. Closely related to the Lourdes grotto of the Virgin’s appearances, the church is designed as a suspended crypt which adopts the shape of a heart in its cross section. By using untreated concrete and sky lighting, the architects succeeded in giving an astonishing intimacy to the church. There is a striking opposition between the austere exterior volume and the welcoming and protective space inside. The architects expressed a new function for the church in an age of uncertainty and tension.https://journals.openedition.org/insitu/6444stained glassAmbonprinciple architecturebaptisteryballastbunker
spellingShingle Christophe Joly
Orlane Brault
Paul Barnoud
Sainte-Bernardette du Banlay, Nevers
In Situ
stained glass
Ambon
principle architecture
baptistery
ballast
bunker
title Sainte-Bernardette du Banlay, Nevers
title_full Sainte-Bernardette du Banlay, Nevers
title_fullStr Sainte-Bernardette du Banlay, Nevers
title_full_unstemmed Sainte-Bernardette du Banlay, Nevers
title_short Sainte-Bernardette du Banlay, Nevers
title_sort sainte bernardette du banlay nevers
topic stained glass
Ambon
principle architecture
baptistery
ballast
bunker
url https://journals.openedition.org/insitu/6444
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