St Francis-Xavier Rc Church, Hope Street

St Francis-Xavier Roman Catholic Church, built between 1958 and 1961 by A R Conlon of the Reginald Fairlie Partnership, is a Modern church located on Hope Street. The design comprises a five-bay rectangular nave and a sanctuary with a distinctive "saw-toothed" plan. A prominent, glazed entrance block with tall, tapered concrete fins marks the principal elevation and incorporates figurative sculpture. The exterior is a combination of squared artificial rubble at ground level, pre-cast concrete slab cladding above, and dry-dash finish on the rear and side elevations.

The east (principal) elevation features an advanced ground floor with a wide, moulded architrave and steps leading to a recessed porch containing a three-pair boarded timber door. A plaque bearing a carving of Archbishop Gray’s coat of arms, designed by Hew Lorimer, is positioned to the left. A tall central block rises with tapered concrete fins and figurative sculpture at its base. A sculpture of St Francis Xavier by Maxwell Allen is located at the re-entrant angle to the left, set below two semicircular canopies supporting a Latin cross, with a stair tower set back. A slightly advanced vestry block is on the right, featuring a moulded cill course.

The north elevation includes an advanced section to the right of the stair tower with a recessed entrance and a replacement glazed door with a sidelight. Five square windows are aligned vertically on the entrance tower. Tripartite square windows, set within wide concrete mullions and concrete surrounds, define the side aisles. Gridded windows illuminate the clerestory, and full-height windows are present in the chancel. A two-story, three-bay building abuts the left bay of the nave, connecting to the earlier presbytery.

The south elevation mirrors the north elevation, with a vestry block on the left containing three narrow ground floor windows. The west (rear) elevation features an exposed concrete Latin cross at the centre, with the rear wall of the chancel flanked by single-story offices with square-headed windows.

Inside, the main entrance is flanked by a chapel (originally a baptistery) and a former mortuary chapel, both with decorative metal gates. The nave bays are separated by large, precast concrete arches. The north (chancel) wall is constructed of exposed red brick with thirty-five gold crosses. The Kenton stone altar, designed by Conlon and featuring six bronze candlesticks with bronze figures of Scottish saints – including St Margaret, St Andrew, St Ninian, St Columba, St Mungo, and St John Ogilvie – is a focal point. Chapels located in the south aisle showcase mosaics by the Casa group of Edinburgh. Confessionals are situated in the north aisle; laminated glass panels above the side aisles were created by Felix McCullough. Continuous stained glass panels are found in the clearstorey. A choir gallery is positioned at the east end.

The church features predominantly aluminium-framed windows with plate glass, and some stained glass. A flat roof covers the tower, ground floor, and vestry, while a pitched slate roof covers the nave, and a monopitch slate roof covers the side aisles and chancel.