The modern church is a delicate institution; under siege from countering theologies, philosophies and the super speed of daily life, it must at once withstand the constant tempest of change while remaining anchored to tradition. These modern churches have done this by finding and keeping a balance: deeply rooted so they touch the core of humanity and religion while keeping in touch with the constant flow of modernity over the course of the last 100 years. Thibaud Poirier travels all around the globe capturing these magnificent modern architectural designs in his series Sacred Spaces. In this series, Poirier photographed the interior of more than 20 churches across France, Germany, Japan, Denmark, and The Netherlands. Poirier uses the same focal point in each image; he does this because it is easier to compare the similarities of the basic structures, while also contrasting the stylistic and design differences between these contemporary houses of prayer. To see more of his work and more of Sacred Spaces you can visit him at his website, Behance and Instagram.
Saint Joseph, Le Havre, France – Auguste Perret, 1956
Notre Dame du Chêne, Viroflay, France – Louis, Luc and Thierry Sainsaulieu, 1966
Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Tokyo, Japan – Kenzo Tange, 1964
Grundtvigs Kirke, Copenhagen, Denmark – Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint, 1927
Resurrection of Christ, Köln, Germany – Gottfried Böhm, 1957
Kirche am Hohenzollernplatz, Berlin, Germany – Johann Freidrich Höger, 1933, all images via Thibaud Poirier
Saint Moritz, Augsburg, Germany – John Pawson, 2013
Saint Anselm’s Meguro, Tokyo, Japan – Antonin Raymond, 1954
Kapelle, Berlin, Germany – Axel Schultes and Charlotte Frank, 1999
Opstandingskerk, Amsterdam – Marius Duintjer, 1956
Via [thisiscolossal]