Art TDT: Architecture and the Urban Environment

I have decided to look at Steeple Church/St. Mary’s Church, located in the centre of Dundee. The construction of this Church would have taken a lot of careful planning, as it has some very intricate details. The exterior of the building shows great detail, especially in the windows. The building is very large, which would allow it to hold many people. This is good for its purpose, as events such as weddings, communions and mass will be held here. These events often involve large amounts of people; therefore, the Church would need to be big enough to accommodate these reasons.

The church looks as if it is made of stone, with glass windows and a large tower. It appears that the windows are not stained glass, as no colour or designs can be seen from looking at the building externally. This is unusual to me as most churches that I have visited had some form of stained-glass windows. The budget when the church was originally built may not been large enough to accommodate stained glass windows. Another reason could be that it simply did not go with the aesthetic of the church at the time.

Another interesting feature about this church is that it actually has two congregations within the same structure. On the left side is Steeple Church and on the right side is St. Mary’s Church. It is interesting that one building is used for two separate churches, instead of a different church being built. This is effective and did not waste any time or money from planning and building a new church.

The church is a contrast to its surrounding, as they are mostly modern. The centre of Dundee has changed many times over the years, with many buildings coming and going, but the church has always remained. It can be seen that The Overgate was built to accommodate the church, visibly curving around it. This allows the church to stand out from its surroundings, making it the focal point of the area, especially with its beautifully designed exterior.

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