Van den Eynde was awarded the commission in 1664, after Lucas Faydherbe’s plans were rejected. The first stone was laid on July 31, 1664. The ground-plan of this Baroque church combines a centralized cruciform space to the west for the laity with a deep choir, which was necessary for Norbertine choral services. The treatment of space is more emphatic here than in other Norbertine abbey churches, on account of the happy combination of a radial plan with a very long and axially accentuated choir. The design combined Gothic structural forms, such as ribbed vaults, with Renaissance ornamental details. The church is considered a peculiar synthesis of Baroque and Gothic. No dome was built over the central section because in January 1668 one of the major piers collapsed. Because two other pillars collapsed after that, the fourth pillar also had to be pulled down. Works restarted with more solid material and the building was roofed over by the end of 1670. The community inaugurated the new abbey church on July 11, 1672, the feast of St. Norbert. The solemn consecration was not celebrated until June 19, 1681. Van den Eynde also produced the church's sculptures.