LOCATION: Platthorn Drive, East Kilbride, Scotland [55.7629°N, 4.1682°W]
ARCHITECT: Gillespie, Kidd & Coia
DATES: 1957-1964
NOTES: Grade A listed (1994), RIBA Bronze Medal

Located just a few miles southwest of Glasgow, St Bride’s Roman Catholic Church is one of Scotland’s better known examples of Brutalist design. Though this church is built in brick, the firm Gillespie, Kidd & Coia received a number of commissions from the Roman Catholic Church – many of which were built in concrete, such as the now abandoned St Peter’s Seminary located in Cardross outside of Glasgow.

Approaching its 50th anniversary in August, St Bride’s Church is still very much in use.  The building was Grade A listed in 1994, and this status has arguably helped keep the building well cared for – the congregation has also recently received a grant to aid in maintenance costs.  

The exterior brickwork detailing adds such elegant depth to the simple rectangular volume.

Though the church is brick and my primary material focus is concrete, the visit was fruitful as it demonstrated a number of shared issues often found within buildings of this era.

The handsome West elevation conceals a number of light scoops within the subtle brickwork patterning.

A curved dip in the simple rectangular perimeter forms the church’s entry.

As I took this picture above a woman walking through the courtyard stopped to ask if I was an architect–seems the building has a few groupies–and what I thought of the church.  When I spoke fondly of it, she returned in kind and described with pride how beautifully the sunlight streams into the chapel during evening masses; this was admittedly a rather refreshing surprise.  I think after my time in Edinburgh, it was quite uplifting to hear a local resident take pride in a building of this era.

A gallery for overflow seating sits above the side nave and organizes additional ancillary program below such as an entry foyer, confessional stalls and a small church store. The access stairway is tucked within the Eastern facade’s sculptural dip that forms the main church entry.

The gallery mezzanine, once used for overflow during crowded services, is now out of use given that the perimeter rail no longer meets safety requirements – perhaps the most notable example of change in the building’s use.  Today the gallery is filled with odds and ends – props from christmas pageants, broken chairs.  A gate has been added at the base of the stairs to restrict access to the gallery.

The Choir Gallery at the back of nave is accessed via a sculptural wooden stair enclosure. Sawtooth skylights which sit above the slatted wood suspended ceiling are oriented East to allow for the setting sun to stream in at evening mass.

The church’s west wall — Heat lamps have been added to supplement an underperforming blown-air system.

A delightful discovery in the parish house basement: the original presentation model! The scale of the model excludes the material quality of the building’s finishes, which reveals a somewhat unconvincing massing – testament to the power of the brick and its nuanced texture. The bell tower was removed in 1983 due to extensive damage to the brickwork.

RELEVANT LINKS

St Bride’s Church Official Website with information on their building

Historic Scotland Listed Building Report – St Bride’s Church

Scotland Places Entry with Historic Images of Church

More Information on Gillespie, Kidd & Coia’s abandoned St. Peter’s Seminary