The nearly thousand-year-old Cathedral of St Maurice in Angers has been extended with a new addition that has divided France. The vestibule, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, was officially opened on 9 April 2026, but its design sparked a wide-ranging debate about the limits of contemporary architecture’s influence on the most precious historical monuments, even whilst it was still in the conceptual phase.
Angers Cathedral and the former porch
St Maurice’s Cathedral in Angers is one of the most important churches in western France. Its origins date back to the 11th century, whilst its current appearance was largely shaped between the 12th and 13th centuries. The building exemplifies the Angevin Gothic style, a regional variant recognisable by its slightly domed vaults and compact form. The cathedral was associated with the Plantagenet dynasty. According to tradition, it was here in 1152 that the wedding of Henry II Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitaine took place. For centuries, the western portal of the cathedral was protected by a deep porch. However, it was demolished in 1807 following damage caused by a lightning strike. During conservation work that began in 2009, it was discovered that the exposed element was deteriorating due to direct exposure to the elements. During its cleaning, exceptionally well-preserved polychromes from the 12th and 17th centuries were revealed. The sculptures retained intense reds, blues and gilding, which is extremely rare in the case of external decorations on medieval French cathedrals. The Ministry of Culture, the authorities of Angers and the diocese therefore decided that the portal should be covered again. A temporary wooden structure was therefore erected in front of the building, pending the construction of a proper cover. Ultimately, the residents had to wait a full 17 years for it.
Five concrete and light arcades
The new vestibule was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. His design resembles a contemporary narthex set in front of the cathedral’s façade. The structure is approximately 21 metres long, 7 metres wide and over 11 metres high. The most striking feature is the five enormous arches. Three are positioned at the front, and two at the sides. The whole structure is open, allowing the portal to still be viewed from the square in front of the cathedral. Kengo Kuma did not undertake a historical reconstruction of the portico, which was demolished in the early 19th century. Instead of copying Gothic details, he introduced simplified archivolts with an almost abstract geometry. The architect drew inspiration from medieval design methods based on proportions determined by a compass. Light also played an important role. The arcades cast soft shadows onto the portal and the polychrome sculptures, creating a kind of filtered transition zone between the square and the interior of the cathedral.
Concrete resembling tuff
Initially, the use of local tuff, characteristic of the Loire Valley, was considered for the construction. However, the material proved too brittle for such a large structure. Ultimately, the gallery was constructed from UHPC (ultra-high-performance concrete), a fibre-reinforced concrete. Aggregate from local stones was added to the mix so that the resulting surface would have a light, creamy-beige hue reminiscent of the historic limestone tuff. The whole structure weighs around 450 tonnes. Its austere geometry and lack of decoration mean that the new element resembles a sculptural frame rather than a traditional building. Construction began in 2025 following the completion of archaeological research. The design was selected five years earlier in an international competition, in which Rudy Ricciotti, Philippe Prost and Bernard Desmoulin, among others, also participated. The cost of the project amounted to approximately €5.5 million and was funded by the French Ministry of Culture.
Angers Cathedral under fire
Few heritage projects in France in recent years have stirred up such strong and polarised emotions. According to some, Kuma’s design maintains a distance from the medieval façade and does not attempt to imitate the historic building. The decision to move away from a historicist reconstruction has also been received positively. The French Ministry of Culture describes the project as a model of heritage conservation. Critics respond much more harshly. Terms such as “architectural growth”, “concrete UFO” and even “architectural massacre” have appeared in the media. The most frequently repeated criticism concerns the visual bulk of the gallery and its clash with the delicate Romanesque-Gothic façade of the cathedral. Defenders of the project, however, point out that the cathedral has changed its appearance many times over the centuries. Today’s gallery is therefore seen as the latest chapter in the long history of the church, which has undergone constant reconstruction, restoration and modification since the 11th century.
Below is a post from the Architecture Hub profile, where you can see a variety of opinions on the Angers structure:
Design: Kengo Kuma & Associates
Source: culture.gouv.fr, angers.fr
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