London’s Airport Church

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31077, 4 June 1966, Page 5

London’s Airport Church

’pHIS is an artist’s impression of the underground interdenominational St George’s Chapel to be built at London Airport, for the joint use of the Anglican, Roman Catholic and Free Churches.

It has been designed by Frederick Gibberd, who was the architect responsible for the airport’s terminal buildings, and for the impressive Roman Catholic Cathedral now nearing completion at Liverpool. In solving the liturgical problems posed by a joint committee of the three churches, Mr Gibberd has designed one church for

Christian worship—not three chapels sharing a common hall. It will be sited near the control tower, and will be easily accessible to passengers and staff: 12,000,000 passengers pass through the airport annually, and another 38.000 people work there. The chapel will be a cryptlike structure, with walls and vaults of reinforced concrete in a variety of colours and

textures. The floor will be of dark blue Welsh slate. There will be seating for 150 to 200 people, which can be arranged to focus on either of two altars, or the Communion table.

The cost of building and equipping the chapel will be partly met by the churches concerned, and in addition a public appeal has been launched.