Until 1922 the catholic parish of Zeist used a smaller church elsewehere in the village. With the parish growing to some 3000 people by the year 1900, that church became too small while the parish itself was too small to split in two. In 1915 the decision was made to build a new church. That same year architect Wolter te Riele was commissioned to design it. However in 1916, due to the mobilization, the construction was postponed.

It's construction did not start until  March 1923. At the time of the tender in December 1922 it was uncertain if the church would be build with or without the tower. In July 1924 the new church was completed, including the tower.

The St. Joseph is in a late neo-Gothic style with details that refers to early German Gothic. Like many of Te Riele's churches, it combines a traditional basilican plan with centralizing elements, in this case a wide nave with narrow side-aisles. The side-aisles have seperate roofs, which partly block the clerestorey with its pointed gables with tall windows from view, and end in pseudo-transepts. Above these, the clerestorey is heightened as well.
The transition between the nave and the choir is marked by two turrets. The choir has an octagonal ground plan and is covered by a polygonal dome with a lantern on top. Not visible on the outside is the ambulatory around the choir.
At the front of the church is a tall tower with a chapel on either side. On top of the tower is an octagonal lantern with flying buttresses at the corners and a short pointed spire. Remarkably, the clerestorey runs along the sides of the tower.