Best Modern Churches Awards Find Stunning Examples Of Sacred Architecture | HuffPost

Mind-Blowing Modern Churches Up For Awards

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When most people think of British churches, the iconic dome of St. Paul's Cathedral or the soaring arches of Westminster Abbey probably come to mind. But that's not the only sort of sacred architecture that's worth seeing, as the Best Modern Churches competition is pointing out.

Held by the National Churches Trust, The Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association, and the 20th Century Society, the competition will announce the "Top 10 Best Modern Churches" built in the last 60 years, on Nov. 7th.

Claire Walker, Chief Executive of the National Churches Trust said in a press release, “As a nation we are rightly proud of our magnificent heritage of historic churches. But there are also many exciting churches which have been built in the last 60 years designed for the changing nature of religious liturgy and practice which reflect modern architecture and design."

24 churches have been shortlisted, and the top three winners will receive a National Churches Trust Diamond Jubilee Architecture prize. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will present the awards.

"The challenge of helping people catch a glimpse of heaven has always produced highly creative and imaginative architecture," Walker said.

Here are some of our favorites:

Bishop Edward King Chapel
Niall McLaughlin Architects, 2013

St. Bride's RC Church
Gillespie Kidd and Coia (Isi Metzstein and Andy Macmillan), 1964

Scargill Chapel
George Pace, 1960 Grade II*

Chapel of St. Albert the Great
Stuart Allan, Simpson & Brown, 2012

Brucefield Church of Scotland
Rowand Anderson Kininmonth and Paul, 1965 - 1966

Douai Abbey
Michael Blee, 1993

St. Joseph's RC Church
T. E. Wilson, 1968

See all of the shortlisted churches here:

Best Modern Churches Awards Shortlist

All Saints Church(01 of45)

Spring Park, Croydon CRO 8HDCurtis Green, 1956Grade II Listed (credit:Philip Whitehead)

All Saints Church(02 of45)

Spring Park, Croydon CRO 8HDCurtis Green, 1956Grade II Listed (credit:Liz Bebington)

Bishop Edward King Chapel(03 of45)

Ripon CollegeCuddesdon, Oxford OX44 9EXNiall McLaughlin Architects, 2013

Bishop Edward King Chapel(04 of45)

Ripon CollegeCuddesdon, Oxford OX44 9EXNiall McLaughlin Architects, 2013

Brucefield Church of Scotland(05 of45)

Whitburn, East Lothian, EH47 0RDRowand Anderson Kininmonth and Paul, 1965 - 1966 (credit:Scotlands Places)

Brucefield Church Of Scotland(06 of45)

Whitburn, East Lothian, EH47 0RDRowand Anderson Kininmonth and Paul, 1965 - 1966 (credit:Scotlands Places)

Chapel Of St. Albert The Great(07 of45)

Edinburgh EH8 9LDStuart Allan, Simpson & Brown, 2012 (credit:Fr. Lawrence Lew OP)

Chapel Of St. Albert The Great(08 of45)

Edinburgh EH8 9LDStuart Allan, Simpson & Brown, 2012 (credit:Fr. Lawrence Lew OP)

Church Of The Ascension(09 of45)

Edinburgh EH8 9LDStuart Allan, Simpson & Brown, 2012

Church Of The Ascension(10 of45)

Crownhill, Plymouth PL5 3AAPotter & Hare 1958 Grade II

Church Of The Ascension(11 of45)

Wembley Park, Middlesex HA9 9QLJ Harold Gibbons, 1957 (credit:Edmund Harris)

Church Of The Ascension(12 of45)

Wembley Park, Middlesex HA9 9QLJ Harold Gibbons, 1957 (credit:Edmund Harris)

Douai Abbey(13 of45)

Abbey Church, Woolhampton, Berkshire RG7 5TGMichael Blee, 1993

Douai Abbey(14 of45)

Abbey Church, Woolhampton, Berkshire RG7 5TGMichael Blee, 1993

English Martyrs RC Church(15 of45)

Wallasey, Cheshire, CH45 6TUF X Verlarde, 1953 Grade II (credit:Parish of English Martyrs Church, Wallasey)

Kildrum Parish Church(16 of45)

Cumbernauld G67 2JGReiach & Hall, 1965 (credit:Peter Atkinson)

Kildrum Parish Church(17 of45)

Cumbernauld G67 2JGReiach & Hall, 1965 (credit:Peter Atkinson)

Lumen United Reformed Church(18 of45)

Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9RSThies & Kahn, 2008

Lumen United Reformed Church(19 of45)

Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9RSThies & Kahn, 2008

Our Lady and St Columba RC Church(20 of45)

Wallsend, NE28 6RQVincente Steinlet, 1957 (credit:Martin Adams)

Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church(21 of45)

Steelstown, Derry BT48 8EULiam McCormick, 1975 - 1976Flickr (credit:Mark Hazel)

Scargill Chapel(22 of45)

Skipton, Yorkshire BD23 5HUGeorge Pace, 1960 Grade II* (credit:David Williamson)

Scargill Chapel(23 of45)

Skipton, Yorkshire BD23 5HUGeorge Pace, 1960 Grade II* (credit:Tim Sully)

SS Mary and Joseph RC Church(24 of45)

Poplar, London E14 6EZAdrian Gilbert Scott, 1954 (credit:Philip Whitehead)

SS Mary And Joseph RC Church(25 of45)

Poplar, London E14 6EZAdrian Gilbert Scott, 1954 (credit:Black Cat Photography)

St. Bride’s RC Church(26 of45)

East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, G74 1NNGillespie Kidd and Coia (Isi Metzstein and Andy Macmillan), 1964 (credit:Dan Farrar)

St. Bride's RC Church(27 of45)

East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, G74 1NNGillespie Kidd and Coia (Isi Metzstein and Andy Macmillan), 1964 (credit:Dan Farrar)

St. Francis Xavier RC Church(28 of45)

Falkirk FK1 5ATA R Coniln, 1961 (credit:Stephen L. D'Agostino)

St. Francis Xavier RC Church(29 of45)

Falkirk FK1 5ATA R Coniln, 1961 (credit:Stephen L. D'Agostino)

St. John The Baptist(30 of45)

Lincoln, LN2 2EFSam Scorer, 1963 Grade II* (credit:Anna Armstrong)

St. John The Baptist(31 of45)

Lincoln, LN2 2EFSam Scorer, 1963 Grade II* (credit:Anna Armstrong)

St. Joseph’s RC Church(32 of45)

LeicesterT E Wilson, 1968 (credit:Parish of St Joseph's Church, Leicester)

St. Joseph's RC Church(33 of45)

LeicesterT E Wilson, 1968 (credit:Parish of St Joseph's Church, Leicester)

St. Mark's Church(34 of45)

Broomhill, Sheffield, S10 2SEGeorge Pace, 1963 Grade II (credit:Aidan McRae Thomson)

St. Mark's Church(35 of45)

Broomhill, Sheffield, S10 2SEGeorge Pace, 1963 Grade II (credit:Aidan McRae Thomson)

St. Mary's RC Church(36 of45)

Leyland, Lancashire, PR 25 1PDJerzy Faczynski of Weightman and Bullen, 1964 Grade II (credit:Matthew Byrne)

St. Mary's RC Church(37 of45)

Leyland, Lancashire, PR 25 1PDJerzy Faczynski of Weightman and Bullen, 1964 Grade II (credit:Matthew Byrne)

St. Molua's Church(38 of45)

Upper Newtownards Road, BelfastDenis O’D Hanna, 1963 (credit:John D. McDonald)

St. Molua's Church(39 of45)

Upper Newtownards Road, BelfastDenis O’D Hanna, 1963 (credit:John D. McDonald)

St. Paul The Apostle(40 of45)

Harringay, London N4 1RWInskip & Jenkins, 1991 (credit:Philip Whitehead)

St. Paul The Apostle(41 of45)

Harringay, London N4 1RWInskip & Jenkins, 1991 (credit:Philip Whitehead)

St. Paul's Church(42 of45)

Bow Common, London E3 4ARMaguire & Murray, 1960 (credit:Steve Cadman)

St. Paul's Church(43 of45)

Bow Common, London E3 4ARMaguire & Murray, 1960 (credit:Steve Cadman)

St. Paul's Church(44 of45)

Harlow, Essex CM20 1LPDerrick Humphreys, 1959 (credit:Philip Whitehead)

St. Paul's Church(45 of45)

Harlow, Essex CM20 1LPDerrick Humphreys, 1959 (credit:Philip Whitehead)

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