Notre-Dame du Raincy – Modern concrete and sacred light

4 July 2025 – Categorie: Architecture – Sebastien Desnoulez

Photographing religious architecture means capturing a dialogue between material, light, and spirituality. Notre-Dame du Raincy, located in Seine-Saint-Denis near Paris, perfectly embodies this union. Inaugurated in 1923, this church remains a pioneering work of the modern movement and is recognized as the first church built with reinforced concrete in France. It is also a major source of inspiration for contemporary sacred architecture, including the Saint-Joseph Church in Le Havre.

A visionary architecture born of urgency

At the end of World War I, the town of Le Raincy was left without a church, the original one having been destroyed during the conflict. The need for reconstruction was urgent: a new church had to be built quickly and at low cost. Father Nègre entrusted the project to the Perret brothers, architects not yet widely known but already experienced with concrete construction. Thanks to their ingenuity, the church was built in just one year on a sloping site and with a limited budget.

The choice of reinforced concrete was dictated not only by its speed of execution but also by its structural and aesthetic potential. Far from hiding the material, the architects showcased its finesse and lightness, playing with repetitive geometric motifs and the openness to light.

Photographing filtered light

What strikes visitors upon entering Notre-Dame du Raincy is how the light filters through its walls. The side facades are not solid but composed of openwork concrete claustras filled with colorful stained glass created by Marguerite Huré. These vibrant surfaces transform the interior into a play of shadows and colors — ideal for architecture photographers seeking both graphic and emotional impact.

The barrel vault, thin columns, and circular light fixtures all contribute to a unique atmosphere — sober, yet deeply spiritual. The eye is naturally drawn to the choir, bathed in a filtered, almost otherworldly light. Far from being cold or harsh, the concrete becomes an expressive material here.

A major influence on modern sacred architecture

Notre-Dame du Raincy marked a turning point in the history of religious architecture. Its radical modernity inspired generations of architects. One finds its influence in the Saint-Joseph Church in Le Havre, also designed by Auguste Perret, this time featuring vertical monumentality and a lantern tower that acts as an urban beacon. Once again, concrete is presented as a noble material, serving both light and transcendence.

An essential subject for architecture photographers

Notre-Dame du Raincy is a gem of 20th-century heritage. For the photographer, it offers endless opportunities for exploration: concrete textures, geometric rhythms, chromatic variations depending on the time of day, and contrasts between natural light and architectural structure.

Photographing this church is not merely about capturing architecture — it’s about telling a story. The story of a modern gamble that succeeded, of reinvented spirituality, and of aesthetic audacity that remains contemporary a century later.

Click on the photos below to view them full screen.