Tile Vaults in Belgium in the 1930s. The Churches of Léonard Homez

During the first half of the 20th century, Belgium witnessed a wide range of styles in church design. While neo-Gothic was the dominant trend until the 1920s, experimentation with new forms and new materials was the main feature of the 1920s. During the middle of the 1930s, design moved towards more traditional forms. Tile vaults were introduced in the country at the beginning of the century. Widely used in churches, this technique allowed great flexibility in the design, together with economical and fast construction, which was especially important in the interwar period. In this context, Léonard Homez designed and built three churches, two in Brussels – Sainte-Alix in Wolowe-Saint-Pierre (1935–36) and Divin Sauveur in Schaerbeek (1935–37) – and Sint-Theresia in Dilbeek (1937–39), very close to Brussels. The vaults were built by the specialized contractor Tignol and Joly. This chapter analyses the constructive characteristics of these vaults, their geometry, and their similarities as well as the evolution of their design and construction.