How about a blend of brick, concrete, and glass? That’s what you’ll find at the Couvent des Dominicains de Lille, also known as the Couvent Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin. It stands as a jewel of contemporary religious architecture.
The Couvent des Dominicains de Lille is located on avenue Salomon in the Saint-Maurice Pellevoisin district. It proudly carries the label “Patrimoine du XXe siècle.” The French Ministry of Culture has listed it as a historical monument since May 7, 2002.
Architects Pierre Pinsard and Neil Hutchison designed the convent. They masterfully combined brick, concrete, and glass. This blend creates beautiful light effects in the church.
The history of the Dominican brothers in Lille dates back to 1224. Their first convent stood at the corner of rues Royale and Lieutenant-Colpin. It was outside the city walls in what is now Vieux-Lille. Wars destroyed that early structure. It was rebuilt several times in different locations.
In 1580, the Dominicans gained permission to settle within the city. They resided in a convent at the corner of rue Basse and rue du Cirque. The French Revolution disrupted religious life. The brothers were forced out of the city.
Father Lacordaire revived the Dominican Order in France in 1843. By 1869, the Dominican brothers resettled in Lille. They occupied a beautiful red brick convent at 77 rue Gambetta. In 1905, they faced expulsion again, along with other religious orders in France. This expulsion followed the Law of Separation of the Churches and the State. The “Bourse au Travail” then occupied that convent until its demolition in 1987. The building “Le République” replaced it. As legislation softened, the Dominicans secured a residence in 1927. They moved into a grand bourgeois house at 96 rue Brûle-Maison. Today, it is known as “Foyer Thiriez.”
In 1952, the decision was made to construct a new convent. Construction spanned from 1955 to 1964. Yet, the community settled there as early as 1957. Father Michel Bous, the prior at the time, played a key role in this project. The architectural style is reminiscent of regional factories and houses. This is mainly due to the extensive use of brick. The main building’s facade features bricks with six holes filled with mortar. This creates a unique decorative pattern. The supporting concrete structures remain visible. Brick forms the partitions. Small, lowered vaults support the floors. The architects aimed to reflect the community’s spirit of simplicity.
The Couvent des Dominicains de Lille is structured around an open cloister. It lacks a fourth side and opens onto the garden. The complex includes four buildings. There is a church, a refectory, a residential building, and a guesthouse.
Located on the right, the church features a rectangular parallelepiped shape. A bell tower enhances it. A band of stained glass runs through the church. It sits beneath a concrete velum crafted by master glassmaker Gérard Lardeur. Lardeur also created rectangular oculi for the claustras. These punctuate the building’s interior with colorful light. Inside, two rows of ten columns support a double-curved concrete veil. This illustrates the Gospel of John. It identifies Christ as the eternal Logos.
The refectory echoes the convent church’s architecture. It features a high elevation, a domed roof, skylights, and blind walls. A concrete chair for reading during meals emphasizes the analogy to the church. Architects intended to highlight that community forms in both the church and the refectory. It is built through shared prayer and communal meals.
The residential building stands to the left. Like the church, it has a rectangular parallelepiped form. It spans four levels. The atrium, common room, and library occupy the ground floor. The friars’ rooms are on the three upper floors. Each room faces the garden.
The guesthouse, located along avenue Salomon, forms an L-shape. It houses the porter’s lodge, conference rooms, parlors, and guest rooms. The building’s rectilinear lines reflect the architects’ intended sobriety.
The buildings connect via glass galleries. This links the exterior and interior spaces. These perpendicular axes define six patios. A two-hectare garden surrounds the convent. It features diverse trees, some centuries old. The garden predates the convent. It was once part of a property attached to a mansion. The Dominican community later acquired it. These trees create a haven of peace. The public can access the garden. The tranquility of the space must be respected.