St Bride's R.C. Church, Whitemoss Avenue, East Kilbride

Gillespie, Kidd and Coia, 1963-4. Monolithic, rectangular-plan Roman Catholic Church; paved piazza; single storey presbytery. Red brick.

CHURCH

W (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: blind wall; blind slit windows along roof line; concealed entrance in central cleft; chamfer with brick stepping to left of entrance.

N ELEVATION: vertical patterns of cogging providing richly textured surface.

E (REAR) ELEVATION: horizontal patterns of cogging contrasting with the N elevation; dip in roof to right; stepped recess rectangular section below contrasting with the projecting cogging; similar detail near ground.

S (LITURGICAL E) ELEVATION: 5 stepped recesses in upper part with rainwater goods; stepped projection to right at ground - corresponds to the tabernacle in the interior.

Steel framed roof with slot patent glazing for lighting; 3 tall copper-clad dormers provide additional lighting.

INTERIOR: large rectangular, full height 'nave'; side chapel, confessional and baptistry on ground floor; freestanding gallery above side chapel etc; gallery on N wall at very top; all top lit.

'NAVE': paved floor; wooden pews providing 800 sittings; raised sanctuary with green carpeting; raised altar; recessed alcove for tabernacle; red curtain hung at back of alcove; sculpture of crucified Christ hangs above. Pulpit built into E wall; recessed flight of stairs leads to pulpit; front of pulpit curves out of wall; deep recesses all along E wall which allow light to trickle down into the interior.

GALLERY: plain space used as overspill; accessed by stair concealed in W wall.

UPPER GALLERY: runs along N wall; plain wall with curved base; regular pattern of stepped recesses along wall; accessed by spiral stair concealed in W wall.

PRESBYTERY, CHAPEL BUILDINGS AND PIAZZA: Z-plan single storey and basement range to W of church; red brick; flat copped roofs and fascia; small cornice of windows between fascia and roof; interplay between solid and void on walls. At SW corner of piazza is flight of steps; on top step is trio of round, reinforced glass windows - these light a shrine to the Virgin Mother below. Church and two ranges frame piazza; black with red brick tiling in shape of sun and its rays - symbolising the church and Christ as the light of the World.