Le Corbusier: Ronchamp Chapel revisited by Paul Clemence

On the 139th birth anniversary of Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, globally known as Le Corbusier, who was born on October 6, 1887, architectural enthusiasts are looking back at his masterwork, the Ronchamp Chapel in France. Photographer Paul Clemence has unveiled a striking new visual portfolio focusing on the light, textures, and sculptural surfaces of Notre-Dame du Haut through a contemporary lens.

Rising from Bourlémont hill in eastern France, the chapel occupies the site of a previous pilgrimage building destroyed during 1944 bombings. Following World War II, local owners and the diocese of Besançon entrusted Le Corbusier with the commission as part of a postwar initiative to integrate contemporary art into the Catholic Church. Construction began in 1950, and the building was officially inaugurated on June 25, 1955.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Ronchamp marked a radical departure from the rational grids defining Le Corbusier's earlier modernist designs. Here, walls taper and curve, towers take rounded shapes, and the roof sweeps across the composition like an independent sculpture. Clemence noted that his goal was to showcase this landmark through today's sensibility, connecting back to the architect's original vision inspired by the surrounding landscape and the form of a crab shell.

Inside, natural light functions as a primary building material. The thick south wall features an irregular array of openings fitted with colored glass, casting fragments of red, blue, yellow, and green across the restrained interior as the sun moves. Clemence chose black and white photography for the exterior to emphasize form and shadow, while keeping interior shots in color.