F. X. Velarde, an English Expressionis

摘要

Notable undiscovered architects, like undiscovered composers, are implausible, yet F. X. Velarde OBE, 1897-1960, could be just such a person hiding in plain sight. He is obscure because he confined himself to refining Catholic worship on the eve of Vatican II. His work is an engaging mixture of Modern and Expressionist influences and an example of what has been called medieval modern. The churches he designed in the North West of England are playful and picturesque, often with a toy-like quality. He may have been the last British architect to use the sculpted human form in his work. Today his buildings seem fresh and elegant, but also poignant as they evoke the 1950s and so many of them are threatened.