Église Saint-Jean de Montmartre

The reinforced concrete frame of the Église Saint-Jean de Montmartre emerges from the neighborhood in thin, brick-covered curves. When Anatole de Baudot designed the church in eighteen ninety-four, he defied building codes that strictly prohibited the use of such modern materials for public places of worship. He argued his case in court for seven years until the government finally allowed construction to proceed. The structure stayed standing, eventually proving that concrete could support the weight of a soaring, arched interior.