This thesis discusses to what extent local building materials influenced in the structural composition, aesthetic beauty and symbolic meaning of three great French Gothic cathedrals Chartres, Amiens and Albi. While Gothic architecture is normally imagined as a monolithic stylistic phenomenon, this thesis illustrates that local material availability and geological location had a significant role in generating diverse architectural outcomes. Through comparison, the research demonstrates how limestone at Chartres and Amiens enabled verticality, intricate sculpture and light interiors, whereas brick in Albi produced enormous, fortress-like buildings emphasizing ecclesiastical domination. From architectural theory, historical records and material analysis, this research reveals the material, spatial interdependence of place and architectural innovation, demonstrating a more nuanced understanding of Gothic architecture as regionally and materially dependent.