Design and opening
The building was designed by the British architectural partnership of John Seely and Paul Paget and opened in 1954. It is described by Bridget Cherry and Nikolaus Pevsner in ''The Buildings of England London 3 North West'', as: :"St Michael and St George, Commonwealth Avenue. 1952-3 by Seely & Paget, a humble, quietly modern L-shaped group of church and church hall, with shallow curved roofs. Exterior tympanum with naive painting. - (Wall paintimg above the altar by Brian Thomas)."Art
The large wall painting by Brian Thomas above the high altar depicts the parish's two patron saints with grazing sheep. As of 2019, it is no longer on display, obscured by a dossal curtain. The painting in the tympanum is the result of a community arts project that was led by the artist Peter Pelz (c.1990). The large painted murals on the walls on either side of the sanctuary are the result of a 1985 community arts project led by the artist Debbie de Beer. A plaque on the north side of the sanctuary reads as follows: :"This mural was painted in 1985 by local people under the direction of Debbie De Beer. It shows scenes from 'The Way of the Cross', an ecumenical Easter play in the streets of Shepherds Bush in 1984."Proposal to demolish
In November 2018 the Bishop of London made a formal proposal to demolish the current buildings and redevelop the site, "to include a new place of worship, improved community space and housing for Church ministry". These plans are currently in abeyance.Gallery
{{Gallery , title=Images of the parish church of St Michael and St George, White City, London, UK. , width=160 , height=170 , align=center , File:St Michael and St George, Commonwealth Avenue, London W12 - Chapel - geograph.org.uk - 1742308.jpg , alt1=Side chapel in St Michael and St George's church, c.2004. , Side chapel in St Michael and St George's church, c.2004. , File:St Michael and St George, Commonwealth Avenue, London W12 - East end - geograph.org.uk - 1742305.jpg , alt2=The sanctuary of St Michael and St George's church, c.2004. , The sanctuary of St Michael and St George's church, c.2004. , File:St Michael and St George, Commonwealth Avenue, London W12 - geograph.org.uk - 1716679.jpg , alt3=Exterior of St Michael and St George's church, looking south-west, c.2004. , Exterior of St Michael and St George's church, looking south-west, c. 2004. , File:St Michael and St George, Commonwealth Avenue, London W12 - High altar - geograph.org.uk - 1742304.jpg , alt4=The high altar in St Michael and St George's church, c.2004. , The high altar in St Michael and St George's church, c.2004. , File:St Michael and St George, Commonwealth Avenue, London W12 - Sanctuary mural - geograph.org.uk - 1742311.jpg , alt5=Sanctuary mural (south wall) "The Way of the Cross" (1985) by Debbie De Beer in St Michael and St George's church, c.2004. , Sanctuary mural (south wall) "The Way of the Cross" (1985) by Debbie De Beer in St Michael and St George's church, c.2004. , File:St Michael and St George, Commonwealth Avenue, London W12 - Sanctuary mural - geograph.org.uk - 1742314.jpg , alt6=Sanctuary mural (north wall) "The Way of the Cross" (1985) by Debbie De Beer in St Michael and St George's church, c.2004. , Sanctuary mural (north wall) "The Way of the Cross" (1985) by Debbie De Beer in St Michael and St George's church, c.2004.Further image sources
Royal Institute of British Architects Library: Photographs of the building (1953- ) by British Aluminium Co. and Bedford Lemere & Co.Royal Institute of British Architects Library, shelf-mark P010588. ''Dual purpose church and church hall of St. Michael & St. George, White City, London, designed (1952-1953) by Seely & Paget''. hotographed byBritish Aluminium Co. and Bedford Lemere & Co. - 20 photoprints: black and white; 4 photonegative.References