The Paris Russian Spiritual and Cultural Centre was designed to visually and spatially express the symbolism involved in Russian culture and Orthodox worship, in the very specific urban setting of Quai Branly, Avenue Rapp, the River Seine and the Eiffel Tower. Its envelope in gilded wood and glass is in contrast with Paris traditional stone while evoking the materials of Russian traditional icons. It is deployed along Avenue Rapp, alternating opacity and transparency. The orthodox church is surrounded by a slightly elevated esplanade with large vertical panels in light-coloured alabaster that have an engraved relief with traditional cross pattern inherited from Russian spiritual culture. Near the sky, this pattern is perforated to create an impression of mirroring and lightness and also to allow a view of the metal facetted domes located on the church’s eastward-facing central axis of prayer and on the altar chapels.