Brutalist marvels, praise be
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IF you think concrete is drab, think again. This month we focus on two of the most stunning Brutalist churches in Birmingham.
These buildings demonstrate the way in which concrete could be used to create dramatic new shapes.
The Roman Catholic Churches of Our Lady Help of Christians, Kitts Green, and St Thomas More, Sheldon, were designed by Richard Gilbert Scott, fourth in the line of five generations of nationally renowned architects.
It may be that this family tradition helped him to achieve a truly Gothic impact in such avant-garde styles. Both churches are grade II-listed.
Our Lady Help of Christians, completed in 1967, takes you by surprise in the suburban spread of its surroundings.
If you could stand back and view it in its entirety, the immediate impact of the colour and shape of its roof would be even more striking.
Even at close-range, you cannot miss the dramatic sweep of the sets of fluted ribs soaring upward on three sides of the building.
Reminiscent of the Gothic desire to draw the eye to the heavens, this breathtaking design creates a space within the church like a medieval tent, both magnificent and intimate at the same time.
Like supplicants’ hands held up in prayer, the jagged outline against the sky created by the design of the ribs is beautifully echoed in the canopies which extend outwards from their base.
Either side of the entrance, the tent-shaped roofs of the Baptistry and the Lady Chapel continue the Gothic theme, a charming feature which allows natural light to flood the interior below.
The overarching effect is one of intrigue and contrast – intrigue in the complexity of the design features, and contrast in the range of materials used: rough aggregate panels contrasting with the smooth finish of the concrete framing.
The use of bricks of varying shades of grey and beige, echoes the zig-zag of the roof.
This church design takes so many of the traditional features of church architecture and combines them in new and fascinating ways.
Historic England’s listing citation celebrates it as “an innovative design successfully integrating architecture, engineering and art”.
And the same could be said for St Thomas More, which was completed in 1969. While its immediate impact is less dramatic in terms of the complexity of detail, the overall effect is no less striking with its modern take on the Gothic steeple visible from all around.
The roof of shallow-stepped, horizontal beams, separated by rows of narrow, horizontal, glass rectangles, creates a “stairway to Heaven”.
The theme of contrast continues in the use of both aggregate and smooth concrete and dark red brick.
The walls of the main part of the church consist of narrow, vertical, stained-glass windows framed with smooth, pale concrete fins, a theme carried on in windows at the base of the steeple, a framing reminiscent of organ pipes.
The ‘T’-shaped steeple is a trinity of concrete columns, each wing of the ‘T’ tapering towards the top.
At either extreme of the front façade of the church, substantial concrete water spouts extend where in a Gothic church one might expect to see a gargoyle.
Entering the church is a Tardislike experience.
The floor falls away towards the altar area as the roof gets higher, giving a sensation of unexpected spaciousness.
Inside, it becomes clear that the church is octagonal in shape with brick-built extensions.
The Baptistry is distinctive in the use of a spiral line to the roof which leads the eye up to the steeple, creating a circular space lit from the roof light above.
Lighting is a feature of both churches. Spaces between the concrete roof frames are filled with clear glass which lets light flood down onto main body of the church.
Coming away from either of the churches, the fabulous stained glass by John Chrestien is imprinted in the retina.
Symmetrically arranged on each side of the main entrances, abstract designs in bright orange and indigo blue lift the spirits, surely to heaven.
Stained glass also fills the interesting shapes created by the concrete frame, providing a bright and colourful surround to the central areas of both churches.
The windows of both Baptisteries include the symbolic image of a fish and Our Lady Help of Christians has a magnificent window in the Lady Chapel showing the lion of St Mark.
Neither church contains any steps except for a single step down into the Baptistery of each, symbolising entry into the River Jordan for baptism.
The most iconic features of these buildings could only have been built in concrete, innovatory and experimental at the time of building.
Criticism is often made of ageing concrete, although it has in fact acquired a patina which we would celebrate on a stone building.
Since the demolition of Birmingham’s iconic Brutalist buildings in the city centre, it is intriguing that some of the best Brutalist buildings that remain are churches in the suburbs.
Visitors to Birmingham will have to hunt for examples of Brutalist architecture. Luckily, these two churches are protected by their listed status.
In the next few columns, we will be reporting on conversations with the architects or those who worked with them to create post-war Birmingham.
Brutiful Birmingham is a campaign group established to raise awareness of and fight for the retention of the best of late 20th century buildings in Birmingham. We welcome your views: www. facebook.com/Brutiful-Birmingham, follow us on twitter at twitter.com/ brutifulbrum, or email us at : brutiful2015@gmail.com.
Mary Keating represents Brutiful
Birmingham