Difference between Notre Dame du Haut and La Sagrada Familia

Recently, my English lecturer had assigned us to write an article about unique buildings.

As I am a huge fan of architects Le Corbusier and Antoni Gaudi, the buildings that first came up

in my mind are both of their masterpieces. Two of these architects have their own iconic

architectural style in absolutely contrast way. Le Corbusier is pioneer of brutalism idea, and his

masterwork of religious building, chapel of Notre dame du haut is the most typical building

example of brutalism style. On the other hand, Antoni Gaudi is a classical styled architect,

which is more complicated and exquisite in design. La Sagrada Familia is the most notable

example of his religious work. Both of these buildings are unique in their way but different from

each other in terms of location, design and history.

First of all, these two buildings are located in different location. Notre dame du Haut built

in France while La Sagrada Familia located in Spain. Notre Dame du Haut located at a hill near

Belfort that surrounded by natural landscape. According Lucile Hervet, the Director of the

Porterie Notre-Dame du Haut, scenery of Vosges mountain can be view from the north of the

chapel; the south view of it is first peak of Jura mountain; from east, Belfort Gap can be seen;

and valley of Saone river can be observed from west. While La Sagrada Familia located in the

centre of Barcelona city. It is surrounded by modernista building such as Park Guell and Casa

Mila. Moreover, Notre Dame du Haut once has been National Property and La Sagrada Familia

is private property that owned by an ecclesiastical foundation, which is known as The

Construction Board of La Sagrada Familia Foundation from 1882 until nowadays. Notre Dame

du Haut later become private property in 1799 when forty families in Ronchamp bought it in

order to preserve its original spiritual vocation, then it attached by convention to the Diocese of

Besancon. In short, Notre Dame du Haut bounded by natural elements while La Sagrada is

located in a city surround by historical buildings.

Beside location, these two buildings have great differences in terms of historical

background too. Although the history of La Sagrada Familia is longer than Notre dame du Haut,

it remain incomplete while the later have been built 91 years ago. La Sagrada Familia had

started its construction from 1882 years, which is 132 years ago, and it estimated to be

complete in between 2026 to 2028. It takes relatively longer time to complete because it is a

much bigger project compared to Notre Dame du Haut. Furthermore, construction of Notre

Dame du Haut runs smoothly with the proposal and support from the Besancon Diocesan

Commission for Sacred Art. In contrast, construction of La Sagrada Familia had been

interrupted by Spanish civil war in 1936. Parts of the unfinished basilica as well as Gaudi’s

models and workshop were destroyed by a fire accident on 19 April 2011. In summary, La

Sagrada Familia has richer historical background than Notre Dame du Haut although it still in

construction process from more than one hundred years ago.

The most apparent distinction of these two buildings is in aspect of architectural style

and design. Notre Dame du Haut was designed by an architect only, while La Sagrada Familia

were designed and built by many architects but mostly by Antoni Gaudi. Notre Dame du Haut

was built in monochrome, which almost in white and grey colour except the coloured windows.

In comparison, La Sagrada Familia was built in polychrome. The building designed and

embellished by various colours of stones, bricks and glasses. For instance, gaudinian technique

had used to apply colourful glazed ceramics and Venetian glasses to curve surface. In addition,

Le Corbusier built Notre Dame du Haut in his brutalism way as he minimize the design of the

building and its wall clad entirely with white and grey raw concrete. Compare to La Sagrada

Familia, it is smaller in scale with only two entrances, one main altar and three chapels beneath

a tower only. While La Sagrada Familia have more complex and intricate design. According to

the Construction Board of La Sagrada Familia, it embraces five naves, eighteen towers, and a

few chapels, cloisters and crypts. It also considered as a colossal building as its naves and

apses have 90m tall and the crossing has 60m tall.

As these two buildings were built by different architects, they have its own unique

architectural style, It makes them dissimilar from various aspect such as location, history and

design. In my opinion, peoples loved and admired them due to their uniqueness, and lots of

peoples donate their money to the relevant organisation in order to preserve them. Moreover,

Notre dame du Haut received over 65 000 visitors while La Sagrada Familia received millions of

visitor from around the word. It shows that both of these building are good architecture as they

loved by peoples.

References:

1. Colline Notre-Dame du Haut. (2013). Retrieved 28 September, 2014, from

http://www.collinenotredameduhaut.com/discover/the_chapel_of_notre-

dame_du_haut.1586.html

2. The Sagrada Familia. (2014). Retrieved 28 September, 2014, from

http://www.sagradafamilia.cat/sf-eng/index.php

Images of the buildings:

1. Notre Dame du Haut

2. La Sagrada Familia