Building of the month | Église Sainte-Alène, Brussels

name: Église Sainte-Alène
location: Saint-Gilles (brussels), Belgium
architect: Roger Bastin, Jacques Dupuis
artist: G. Boulmant, Z. Busine, A. Martin, Ermans, Et al.
year of construction: 1941 – 1968
original use: Parish Church
year of restoration / renovation: 1972
architect: Roger Bastin
current use: Parish Church

Originally commissioned in 1913, the Saint-Alena Church was designed by Louis Pepermans in an eclectic, Romano-Byzantine style. Construction was delayed by the First World War, and the project was revived in 1938 by architect Roger Bastin, who later invited Jacques Dupuis to collaborate.

The church stands at the end of a residential avenue in Saint-Gilles, where its monumental scale contrasts with the surrounding Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and eclectic houses. Its façade features two large bluestone-clad pillars framing a sunken central section. Originally built in brick, this section was redesigned by Bastin in 1972 to get a smooth finish, an abstract metal sculpture, and an access ramp.

Inside, the basilica layout combines grandeur with simplicity. The wide, central nave is flanked by narrow aisles, separated by thin pillars and semicircular arches. Exposed concrete roofbeams, brick walls, travertine floors, and integrated artworks define the interior. Influenced by German religious modernism, especially the work of Rudolf Schwarz and Dominikus Böhm, the church blends simplicity, spirituality, and architectural strength.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀

• Historical value: Important example of post-war religious architecture and marks the first collaboration between Roger Bastin and Jacques Dupuis.

• Architectural/artistic value: Saint-Alena Church is a remarkable example of post-war religious architecture as a Gesamtkunstwerk, where architecture, materials, and artistic elements are carefully integrated into a unified whole.