The Pritzker Prize winning architect, Álvaro Siza, has completed a white concrete church in France's Brittany region. The church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande, consecrated over the weekend in the presence of over 300 people, is the first church built in the area in over 40 years—the only, thus far, Breton church of the 21st century. 

The sacred building, costing 3 million euros, was ordered by the diocese of Rennes to better meet current needs. Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande, a commune in the Northwestern part of France, has a thriving Catholic community and the new church is more centrally located to where people live, near the residential area south of Rennes with five-story housing blocks.

The design by Siza, for which he provided 600 details, combines a minimalistic aesthetic with an opening onto the city. His use of light and white concrete provides a unique ceremonial space that is integrated into the urban fabric while distinguishing itself in form from the repetitive architecture of the nearby dwellings.

The building stands 12 meters high and is two stories. On the ground floor, a parish center provides a kitchen space and modular rooms separated by sliding doors that can be used for social and administrative needs. Upstairs, the liturgical space, seating 150 faithfuls, displays a refined style with white marble flooring and oak furniture, also designed by Álvaro Siza. 

The circular shape of the second floor, one of the building's hallmarks, is reminiscent of the churches of the first centuries; the Archbishop of Rennes likened the initial drawings and plans to the 326 AD Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Siza is no stranger to designing sacred spaces—his Santa Maria Church in Marco de Canaveses is what drew the diocesan association, along with consulting architect Jean-Pierre Pranlas-Descours, to tap the award-winning Portuguese architect for the project.