Vermeldingen in doctoraatsthesis over kerkdaken

In het in 2021 gepubliceerde werk Hidden innovation - Roof Frame Design and Construction in Parish Churches of Brussels and Charleroi 1830 – 1940 van de hand van Romain Wibaut, een 'dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degrees of Doctor of Engineering Science: Architecture (KU Leuven, Faculty of Engineering Science) and Doctor of Engineering Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Faculty of Engineering), wordt architect Pierre Langerock verschillende keren vermeld.

 

- Over de Sint-Hubertuskerk in Bosvoorde: 

 

"At the end of the 19th century, the development of public transportation allowed the commuting of workers and accelerated the spread of the population to (and, therefore, the development of) the periphery. [...] New neighbourhoods from the Brussels second crown therefore needed their own parish church. [...] In Watermael-Boitsfort, a decision was taken to build a monumental church, for which architect Pierre Langerock proposed a design at the very beginning of the 20th century. However, Saint Hubert’s church was finally erected from 1909-31 (deconsecrated 2016)." (p. 64-65) 

 

"Notwithstanding, historic ornamentation was still appreciated after the war. Some did indeed consider the historic styles far more beautiful and appropriate than the audacious but austere novelties of the modernists, which rejected any kind of ornamentation. Moreover, industrialisation and the First World War strengthened people’s longing for the past. The demand for traditional architecture was, therefore, still very strong. Besides, a large proportion of the inter-war architects remained faithful to traditional styles because they were trained in traditional architecture: medieval at the Saint Luke Schools and classical styles at the Academies. In Brussels, for example, Saint Hubert’s church was built from 1909-31 in Watermael-Boitsfort by architect Pierre Langerock in Gothic Revival style like Saint Luke churches from before the First World War, and Saint Agatha was built in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe in 1936-38 in Romanesque Revival style." (p. 146) 

 

"In Northern France, in the Netherlands, and in Belgium, from the second half of the 13th century until the 1780s, roof structures were mainly composed of trusses with trapezoidal frames. Conversely, from the 19th century onwards, this type of truss can barely be found. Hence, between 1800 and 1830, only three cases were identified: the Moulin d’En Haut in Saint-Hubert (1814-15), a barn in Beveren- Kieldrecht (1790-1805), and the Indiennerie Story in Laeken (1829). Afterwards, quoting Louis Vandenabeele, they “almost disappeared”. Until today, the roof of the Gothic Revival city hall of Sint Niklaas (1876-78) is indeed the only post-1830 case that has been identified.

 

Our investigation did, however, allow two new cases to be unveiled. The first one, at Saint John the Baptist’s church in Gosselies (1872-75), is almost contemporary with the city hall of Sint Niklaas (1876-78). The second, at Saint Hubert’s church in Watermael- Boitsfort (1909-31, figs. 4.4, 4.5 and 4.6) is much more recent. Anyway, it is worth highlighting that, like the town hall of Sint Niklaas, these two churches were built in Gothic Revival style. The structural choice might, therefore, be motivated by a thorough knowledge of the medieval traditions as taught in the Saint Luke Schools, and by the desire to match the structural features with the appropriate medieval style. Pieter Van Kerkhove (1847-89), architect of the town hall of Sint Niklaas, and Pierre Langerock (1859-1923), architect of Saint Hubert’s church, were indeed both from Saint Luke Schools. On the contrary, Emile Tirou, architect of Saint John the Baptist’s church, was trained at the Academy. The use of such roof trusses could therefore be explained by a structural choice unrelated to the background of the architects. Indeed, as this type of truss can be considered as a superimposition of portals, it is best suited for the steep roofs that Gothic architecture required." (p. 286-287) 

 

- Over de basiliek van Koekelberg: 

 

"Unlike large parts of the country, Brussels suffered little damage during the First World War. Consequently, from 1919 onwards, Brussels continued to expand. To tackle the population growth of the suburban municipalities, new neighbourhoods were designed, and new parishes were created [...] Moreover, some particularly remarkable urban development plans were punctuated with a landmark church. [...] Last but not least, the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart atop the Koekelberg Hill is the most important landmarking project of a church in Belgium. The huge Gothic Revival design (1900-09) by architect Pierre Langerock (1859-1923) was already attracting extraordinary attention at the start of the 20th century. A parish was even specially created in 1903 so that the construction of this National Monument could be financed by the State. After the First World War, given the state of public finances, it was no longer possible to resume Langerock’s project. The Basilica, however, continued to monopolise attention with a new architectural competition first, and then, after the Second World War, with its never-ending construction site (1925-69)." (p. 66-67) 

 

"This openness [at the end of the 19th century] was notably influenced by the theories of the French architect Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (1814-79), whose publications were known throughout Europe. [...] The search for an ideal Gothic style led Viollet-le-Duc to define the “ideal cathedral”, more archaeological than the academic Gothic Revival but less pious than the Saint Luke archaeological Gothic. The “ideal cathedral” influenced the construction of several Belgian churches. These churches, as strong urban landmarks, are strategically located to embody the national greatness and the country’s attachment to the Catholic religion. It was at the turn of the 20th century that its apogee was reached. [...] King Leopold II also wanted to endow Brussels with a large Gothic Revival national basilica to be erected on the Koekelberg hill. The project designed by architect Pierre Langerock (1859-1923) in 1904-07 consisted of a huge Gothic Revival cathedral with no less than six spires and a majestic central lantern tower. This project was abandoned after the death of King Leopold II in 1909, and the well-known Art-Deco basilica was eventually built after a new competition following the First World War." (p. 122-123) 

 

"At the turn of the century, the ideology promoted by Saint Luke architects was already old. The architecture of Saint Luke had its advocates and opponents. The project (1903) of the huge Gothic Revival basilica ordered by King Leopold II to architect Pierre Langerock notably aroused a lot of criticism. The progressive elites started considering Saint Luke medieval Gothic outdated in comparison with the freedom propagated by the Art Nouveau movement from the 1890s onwards. They expressed the desire for a renewal of Christian art from an ultramontane towards a more democratic perspective. Saint Luke Schools did, however, resist this desire for renewal and rejected Art Nouveau. The First World War put an end to Saint Luke Gothic Revival. After the war, Saint Luke was forced to adapt to a completely different context, in which Christian architecture had to evolve in line with the Liturgical Movement." (p. 129) 

 

"Based on all kinds of historic styles and applied arts, Art Deco combined tradition and modernity. Some well-known examples of Art- Deco churches were built in Belgium, the design of which was technically innovative (through the visible application of reinforced concrete), and aesthetically traditional (through the use of forms and ornaments derived from historic styles). [...] In Brussels, the Gothic Revival project of architect Pierre Langerock for the National Basilica of Koekelberg was dropped after the First World War in favour of an Art-Deco monument with Byzantine and Romanesque ornamentation, designed by architect Albert Van huffel (1877-1935). On liturgical matters, Van huffel received advice from Dom Sébastien Braun (Benedictine monk of Maredsous, who was educated as an architectural engineer), and for the reinforced-concrete structural issues, he collaborated with engineer Gustave Magnel (1889-1955). The construction was successively directed by Van huffel (from 1926 to 1935) and engineer-architect Paul Rome (from 1935 to 1969)." (p. 147) 

 

- Andere vermeldingen: 

 

"In Belgium, architects are probably the most extensively documented stakeholders. They hold an almost exclusive place in the reference book Dictionnaire de l’architecture en Belgique, edited by Anne Van Loo in 2003, for instance. Many architects active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (such as Victor Horta, Henry Van de Velde, Paul Hankar, Alphonse Balat, Joris Helleputte, Henry Beyaert, or Georges Hobé) were studied methodically. Numerous publications were also dedicated to great church designers from that period. Willem Driesen investigated the oeuvre of Mathieu Christiaens, and Thomas Coomans documented the oeuvre of Pierre Langerock, while Mireille Orlent studied the collaboration between architects Vincent Lenertz and Hyacinth Martens." (p. 14-15) 

 

"For the Saint Luke architects, all the elements – both constructive and decorative – were part of the same total work of art and had to be interpreted in a logical and functional way. Everything had to be made in an authentic perspective, using local materials and craftsmen. To do so, Saint Luke promoted the meticulous study of medieval Gothic models, as advocated by Pugin. The emphasis was put on the historical, archaeological, and liturgical understanding of the models and their details. On that aim, Saint Luke published monographs of religious and civil medieval buildings and collections of architectural drawings. In addition to technical drawings of decoration, furniture and locksmith works, medieval roof trusses were represented. [See e.g. Helbig and Van Assche, Monographie de l’église paroissiale de Saint Christophe à Liège (1877); Langerock and Van Houcke, Anciennes constructions en Flandre, 1-2(1881-82); Langerock, Anciennes constructions en Flandre, 3-4 (1885-88).] Saint Luke also published the Bulletin des séances de la Gilde de Saint-Thomas et de Saint-Luc (1863-1913), the Revue de l’Art Chrétien (1857-1914) and the Bulletin des Métiers d’Art (1901-13)." (p.117-118) 

 

"When Léonard died in 1903, the project was entrusted to architect Guillaume Chrétien Veraart (1872-1951), who graduated from the Saint Luke School in Schaerbeek (class of 1895) and did his internship at the offices of renowned Gothic Revival architects – namely Jan Ramaekers and Pierre Langerock." (p. 134) 

 

"Saint-Henry’s church [in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert] is a reproduction of the Ghent church of the Dominican Friary, built between circa 1260 and 1290583 and whose demolition in 1862 caused a stir in the Royal Commission for Monuments and in the artistic world. This highly controversial demolition prompted many architects and draughtsmen as well as a photographer to immortalise the monument with descriptions, plans, drawings and photographs,584 which allowed the reconstruction of the monument in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert forty years after its demolition. Among these documents, the most accurate ones were probably the surveys of architect Isidoor Langerock (1828-1907). These are plans, elevations and cross sections at a scale of 1:100 as well as details on a larger scale drawn prior to destruction of the church during a measuring campaign.585 In 1880, based on these drawings, architect Auguste Van Assche (1826-1907), teacher of Architecture at the Saint Luke School of Ghent, published a series of engravings, which made this church famous." (p. 229) 

 

"On that matter, it should be noted that this type of Romanesque frame received early attention in Belgium from Canon Raymond Lemaire (1878-1954), whose dissertation (1906) investigated the architecture of Romanesque churches in the Duchy of Brabant. Canon Lemaire did not only focus on the aesthetic and formal aspects of the buildings, but also paid attention to the structural elements. Unusually for the time, he was also interested in the construction of church roofs, which he visited, and for which he endeavoured to identify the original parts from later additions. Later, as an expert and member of the Royal Commission for Monuments and Sites, he supervised the restoration of buildings he had studied in his thesis. This was the case for the restoration of Saint Hilarius’ church in 1897-1914 in Bierbeek by architect Pierre Langerock (1859-1923) for example." (p. 276-277)