Marie-Médiatrice (Communauté chrétienne Saint-Frère André)

A subdued and playful church located in a non-descript location in Vanier

  • Marie-Mediatrice Church

    Detail of Cyr Avenue elevation

  • Marie-Mediatrice Church

    Cyr Avenue elevation

  • Marie-Mediatrice Church

    Looking south towards McArthur Avenue

  • Marie-Mediatrice Church

    A portion of the north elevation

  • Marie-Mediatrice Church

    Detail of cathedral glass windows on the north side of the church

  • Marie-Mediatrice Church

    Detail of bell off the path to the main entrance

Address
344 Cyr Avenue, Ottawa, ON
Year(s)
1960

Just visible from McArthur Avenue, this church features a diamond floor plan with steeply pitched roof areas rising to meet in the centre. Architecturally, the roof is the key feature provides visual interest on the exterior while also accommodating large windows within the taller areas. At one end of the diamond, facing Cyr Street, a modest entry vestibule provides some spatial compression to accentuate the sense of visual uplift when you arrive in the with the sanctuary.

To add a sense of brilliance and to amplify the pressence of natural light the wall areas below the taller portions of the roof are finished in yellow cathedral glass with white-painted wood frames. To add a bit of visual interest the horizontal frames alternate placement from section to section.

A couple of common themes are visible in the church:

  • Modest suburban church highlighting the flexibility of Modern Architecture to speak to religious tendencies.
  • Heightened role of natural light in churches constructed during the Modern period.
  • LeFort continuing to receive patronage from the Church. This patronage would influence much of the work he did in Ottawa-Gatineau including many buildings at the University of Ottawa and the Monfort Hospital among other buildings.