The decline in church attendance over the last several decades has meant that countless churches across the Netherlands have lost their function. They are crumbling, are demolished, or are put to new uses. Their specific architectural features often fall by the wayside in this process. Not every church can be turned into a municipal exhibition hall, and if, for example, a residential use is chosen, the original spatial qualities are usually lost. A dutch firm named Zecc has converted an old chapel into an apartment, carefully respecting and enhancing the character of the original building. The chapel was part of a large housing complex of the Friars of Utrecht, which at its height, around the mid-20th century, housed 217 residents. The remaining 13 elderly friars, however, moved to a nursing home in 2005, and the complex was divided up and converted into about 40 apartments.
This was the church before ZECC Architects started the work.
And this is how the church looks now …modern and stylish.
The design team chose to keep many of the original features like the high gothic stained glass windows and the original choir organ. To allow more light to enter the space, they cut a Mondrian-inspired glass window into the front of the house facing the street perhaps paying homage to Rietveld’s nearby infamous Schroder House. The entire living area has been whitewashed, while the private spaces above were painted dark. In conclusion this place might be controversial, but it looks very modern and stylish. – Via – Thecoolhunter
Did you enjoy this post? Then please consider subscribing to our FREE newsletter by RSS or e-mail
Share or save this article!
Published by Michael January 22nd, 2008 in Uncategorized
99 Comments
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:01 pm
I would love to live in that apartment. I would put coffins near where the altar used to be and dress like a vampire and sleep in the coffin. I would invite prostitutes in, and buy tons of drugs. Then after an evening of sex and other such debauchery I would kill the hookers and drink their blood. It would be awesomeness.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:30 pm
I actually live next to an old church in New York City that has been converted into apartments. It’s really neat because the front and sides of the building still have all the original architecture and stained glass windows, but the back is modern.
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:15 pm
> The decline in church attendance over the last several decades
how sad…..
January 23rd, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Personally, I would turn the font into a urinal, but it might be in an awkward place.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:20 am
Shades of Alice’s Restaurant! Alice lived in a church, if I recall correctly.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:52 am
Argh. They renovated everything historic and interesting away and were left with a awkward shaped building of no particular charm.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:56 am
It has a nice clean look to it. I’m glad they were able to put it to a new use, and not just demolish it.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:20 am
Churches redesigned into something else can look really cool. This one was overdone. Keeping the church and old look is what makes it so awesome and lasting. Now its just trendy.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:38 am
To all you screamingly self concious atheists:
We. Don’t. Care. About. How. You’d. Remove. The. Crosses.
You think you’re “different”?? …As different as the 47-other-people who said exactly the same thing??
It always strikes me how INTOLERANT atheists tend to be… it seems they really can’t cope with someone having a different set of values from their own and so have to highlight, at every. single. opportunity. what doesn’t fit with their own narrow-minded and insecure world views.
Did it occur to you: that we’re ~gasp!~ NOT asking YOU to live in this house with crosses?
No, not at all… you’d just like to let us know that you wouldn’t.
Truely fascinating.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:26 am
>Who would want to live in a place like that?
Well, I would, and in fact I do. 10 years ago, my husband bought a gothic stone Episcopal church from 1854 in Scoharie County, NY, and has been converting/restoring it faithfully ever since. We live in Brooklyn, but spend most weekends there – just living a normal life that happens to include Tiffany stained glass windows, a choir loft (now the master bedroom) and a big ol’ honkin’ altar. It’s been deconsecrated since 1972, but people drop by all the time telling us about how they were baptized, grew up attending services, or got married there.
In fact we got married there, right up at the altar. Just moved the pews from where they usually are lined up up against the walls, and scooted ‘em back when it was time to dance.
I’ll link to pix if anyone’s interested.
January 24th, 2008 at 4:18 am
Going to the chapel, gonna… cook some dinner….
Turning a chapel into an apartment. The Dutch architectural firm ZECC has made a beautiful, modern apartment out of an abandoned chapel….
January 24th, 2008 at 4:28 am
What a beautiful space.
January 24th, 2008 at 5:53 am
[...] Via: Freshome [...]
January 24th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Oh, now that is just splendid! Although i can understand it not appealing to everyone, it certainly has managed to bring a lot more light and comfort into the space (as well as redefining it’s function without being crude about it). Absolutely lovely and rather inspiring!
January 24th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Very interesting, but I don’t think I could live in a place where subhuman christians have gathered. Imagine all of the childeren and babies that would have raped there by those sick animals.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:57 am
[...] Link [...]
January 24th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
[...] I wouldn’t living here, I would just get rid of all the damn crosses. [...]
January 24th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
I don’t like the idea of churches being torn down vandalized or what have you. I would rather see somebody buy a church and do a nice remodel job like this one. I would live in it,it would take ahile to get used to all the open space but it would be worth it.
January 25th, 2008 at 1:15 am
[...] The decline in church attendance over the last several decades has meant that countless churches across the Netherlands have lost [...]
January 25th, 2008 at 5:46 am
Very nice! I like this. Sometimes I feel like I practicly live at my church. This makes the space — and lots of it — very livable.
Only contention is that one cannot see out the windows without removing the wonderfully crafted stained glass windows. These are artspieces in their own right and should be preserved.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:39 am
[...] ] Von arschgeiger um 10:33 Manchmal haben die weichen Bleistifte wirklich gute Ideen: > mehr Bilder > Zecc [...]
January 25th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
[...] A Chapel Converted Into a Modern Apartment cool church conversion (tags: modern architecture design church interior) [...]
January 25th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
So,they painted it white.
And ruined a beautiful church.
Renovated it completely out of style and with white floors??
Is anyone going to live there?
Id like to bet the designer can see his/her tonsils from the back.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Looks more like a studio than an apartment
January 25th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
[...] in church attendance over the last several decades has meant that countless churches across the Netherlands have lost their function. They are crumbling, are demolished, or are put to new uses. Their specific [...]
January 26th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
[...] Lo hemos encontrado en Freshome [...]
January 26th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
What a ridiculous remodeling of the church. Sorry but you can’t successfully blend a church with modernist architecture. The church was full of oval shapes, not 90 degree angles. they could of fudged it a bit by using more curves. The only thing thats working is the white used to repaint it.
The cross should of been removed out of respect prior to anyone moving in. The sad thing is, probably a couple of pretentious atheists are gonna be moving.
January 26th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
In this place should eat loaves and fishes daily and singles nothing here will send as many children as Mr
January 27th, 2008 at 12:38 am
That staircase without railings is so cooool.
I can imagine little kiddies falling off……
January 27th, 2008 at 5:59 am
[...] mit Staubsaugern (Doktorarbeit im PDF-Format) LINK ::: Lecker Drink LINK ::: Liebe Stofftiere LINK ::: Kirchen sinnvoll [...]
January 27th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Oh nice. I like this white church very much.
Aber ich denke dass sie bestimmt ein bisschen teuer ist. Wenn da mal ein Fenster kaputt ist, dann wirds bestimmt sehr teuer.
Aber im großen und ganzen, ich hätte nichts dagegen dort zu wohnen.
January 28th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
i think it’s beautiful. it might sound strange, byt i always wanted to lieve in church. i love the stile of that kind of buildings, tall, with great space, unusual space… actually i’m doing that kind of project right now:) i love that inspiration
January 30th, 2008 at 11:20 am
[...] Vía: freshome.com [...]
January 31st, 2008 at 4:59 am
It looks rather like a clinic or dentist’s. It’s pretty, but doesn’t seem comfortable.
January 31st, 2008 at 6:51 am
They should let a child molester live there. He’ll feel right at home in a church.
January 31st, 2008 at 3:05 pm
[...] Vía: freshome.com [...]
January 31st, 2008 at 9:23 pm
I am moving to the Netherlands…
……
January 31st, 2008 at 11:33 pm
I think that although the places of history must be torn down or moved onward with eventually, it is quite unruly to make this a modern eclectic party fad.. which is what I would use it as. It just turns from a place of intense spiritual worship to a place of laundry and everyday miniscule living. So unimportant, disrespectful in some ways, and just sad really. Now, I have many atheist friends, but they would probably be a little more respectful of another religion or any religion of that matter than to trample on it and purchase a property, remove the crosses, and totally unabide with what the actual “space” was factually used for. Why must you do this with a church? Because it’s unique? Or beautiful? As what, a piece of real estate? No if you ask me, it is merely using a space that was used for intense spiritual growth and thrown into a temporary instyle-something-to-show-my-friends apartment. I am confident enough to live here, but respectful enough not to. Don’t mess with Karmal energy or other’s views in mock, please.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:30 am
[...] Meer foto’s vind je bij Freshome. [...]
February 7th, 2008 at 12:15 am
I dig this to the next level. Love love love it!! I would totally live there. Although I have to be honest about the white floors…I did my whole office in white from head to toe and the floors were a problem for sure, regarding dirt maintenance. Anyhow, I think it turned out fanf&*%ingtastic!!
February 25th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
[...] A Dutch Chapel converted into a modernist [...]
May 9th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
A little clinical, but nice
August 15th, 2008 at 11:34 am
it is great to read your comments, positive or negative, that’s fine! It is inspiring! Anyway, we really did put a big red carpet in the livingspace….
With kind regards, the owner!
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
[...] few months ago we presented “A Chapel that was Converted Into a Modern Apartment by Zecc” , the chapel was part of a large housing complex of the Friars of Utrecht, which at its [...]
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:20 pm
If the owner likes it, that’s great…I kind of like that they kept the organ & the stained glass. I don’t even really mind the crosses all that much — to be honest, I think it’s the stark white that really rubs me the wrong way. To me, it’s like the redecorating has taken the warmth that might have been in the original (sad that there’s only one photo of the church to go by) and has turned it into a 70’s b-movie rendition of what the future would look like.
October 4th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
HORRIBLE…. Bad tase all the way!!!!
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:02 am
I Love it. I would live there in a heart beat
January 25th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
[...] last, for those who like to visit churches, and glass windows, a very interesting convertion [...]
March 12th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
[...] more details on Freshome. I like it. Very [...]