This design by Ameller-Dubois Associés was unveiled Friday as the winner of an international competition for a Russian Orthodox Church and Cultural Center in Paris. The Franco-Russian firm brought together traditional Russian Orthodox architecture and contemporary design concepts in their winning entry.

The project comprises three main elements: a base for the cultural center, the contemporary church rising on this base, and a central garden as an outdoors mediation and reflection space. The garden will be filled with birch and oak trees, both endemic to Russia.

Traditional Eastern Orthodox churches maintain specific architectural elements crucial for identification and legitimacy within the Orthodox canon. Ameller, Dubois Associés made 21^st century interpretations of from these traditional elements. For example, the traditional domes atop the church structure were taken and redrawn by the architects in a ribbon-like design that’s “immaterial delicacy refers to the immateriality of the divine presence… bold structure is a fervent hymn to the courage of the apostles and martyrs…(and) visual purity of this group of domes, almost vibrating, evokes the purity of heavenly light”.

The cruciform, or cross-shape of the building is also a reference to traditional Orthodox design. The architects further solidifies this design theme by wrapping the entire building in a titanium cladding stylized with a geometric pattern of equal-arms crosses that fades from opaque to transparent with the building’s vertical height.

Although a relatively modest design was ultimately chosen for the Paris church, much controversy has surrounded the construction of the church so near the Eiffel Tower. Critics worry the church will detract from the French capital’s historic skyline. One French magazine even reported on concerns the church could be used as a front for spying on a nearby diplomatic complex. Either way construction is slated to begin in 2012 and considering Russia paid around €70 million for a site that will hold a building costing half as much, it doesn’t look like they plan to axe the venture any time soon.