Église Saint-Pierre, Firminy

A parish church is planned as part of the creation of the Firminy-Vert district. Its construction was entrusted to the architect André Sive. He had envisaged a church close to the schools, the shopping centre and the Razes stadium but the architect’s death in September 1958 put an end to these plans.

In January 1961, Le Corbusier was called upon to build the church by Father Roger Tardy, the parish priest at Firminy. Le Corbusier was already involved in other projects at Firminy-Vert: the Maison de la Culture, the Stadium and the Housing Unit. He considered this project important since it was intended for the workers.

From 1966, José Oubrerie, Louis Miquel (until 1978), the Civil Society organization for the Firminy-Vert church and the Le Corbusier association for the Firminy-Vert church (created in 1968 and represented by Eugène Claudius-Petit and Jean Dubuisson) joined forces to allow the Saint-Pierre church to be completed. The first stone was laid on May 28, 1970 and building really started in 1973, under the direction of José Oubrerie in accordance with Le Corbusier’s project. Work was interrupted in 1978 and resumed in 2004. The church of Saint-Pierre was officially opened in November 2006.

The foundations of the church, built between 1970 and 1978, were given Historic Monument status in 1983. It was not until 1996 that the parts built between 1973 and 1978 were likewise registered, and the entire church not until 2009.

Ultimately the church was not consecrated; the city of Firminy and Saint-Etienne metropolis now open it to the public and organize cultural events there.

Restoration of the concrete facings of the exterior facades was carried out in 2020.