Church Of St Luke

The Church of St Luke is a church built in 1956 by Seely and Paget. It is constructed of grey-brown brick with red dressings, stone capitals and keystones, and has a brown pantiled roof to the eaves, with copper-covered roofs to projecting wings of a low pitch. The building has a long, narrow, double-height church space, with a gallery to the liturgical north, and ancillary rooms and a chapel within two-storey wings that project symmetrically from the road front, creating a ‘butterfly’ plan. An entrance is located beneath the gallery within a three-bay loggia on the road front. The road-facing elevation is two-storeys high, with a five-bay centre featuring round-headed openings; the three central openings form the entrance loggia, with flanking lunettes and cross-mullioned timber gallery windows above. Jutting two-storey wings of three bays have small rectangular windows to the inner faces and three giant order arches to the returns. Paired dormers are situated in the centre of the roof, connected by a segmental pedimented aedicule containing a bell. A concrete roof finial surmounted by a cross and with urns to its four supporting buttresses are also present. All windows have timber frames and rectangular leaded lights. The rear elevation features four round-headed windows set in round-headed relieving arches. Internally, a giant round-headed arcade extends to the north, encompassing a choir gallery which also houses the organ. The church is aisleless. Round-headed relieving arches with inset round windows are on the south side. A modillion cornice runs along the flat, plastered ceiling. The walls step diagonally inwards to a short, narrow sanctuary, separated from the nave by a timber balustrade. Behind the altar is a large painting of Christ by Norman Blamey. A font in the centre of the west end has a round, moulded stone bowl on brick piers and a timber cover with scrolled finials. The church's unusual plan, with symmetry across its short axis and projecting two-storey wings, gives it a civic, rather than ecclesiastical appearance. It is considered one of the most original and imaginative pieces of church design of its date, demonstrating a deep understanding of classical architecture, and is also significant for its fine work of art.