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
- Posted in Apartments, Best Of
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By Mihai
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Looks more like a studio than an apartment
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.
In this place should eat loaves and fishes daily and singles nothing here will send as many children as Mr
That staircase without railings is so cooool.
I can imagine little kiddies falling off……
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.
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
It looks rather like a clinic or dentist’s. It’s pretty, but doesn’t seem comfortable.
They should let a child molester live there. He’ll feel right at home in a church.
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.
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!!
A little clinical, but nice
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!
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.
HORRIBLE…. Bad tase all the way!!!!
I Love it. I would live there in a heart beat
Spectacular,great taste,and incredibly imaginative. you have inspired me
elvis has left the building….
Dear beloved
How interesting that I should come across your website and that you & other beloved brethren are dwelling in togetherness. I bless the name of the Lord for what you are doing in the body of Christ. It is wonderful to see men and women of God stand firm in faith and declare the message of Jesus Christ.
My name is Isaac married to Emily. We are working in the body of christ by house Churches network relationship in Kenya East Africa. I was greatly touched and ministered to when I came a cross your Ministry page. God bless you greatly for obeying his Voice to minister this kind of healing to the Body of Christ.
I want to encourage you both to continue to re-discover your true identities and walk this earth reflecting the Love of Christ. Life is but a journey…. that leads us back into the Father heart of God. Don’t let religious concepts stand in the way of TRUTH…. for the doctrine of men only lead to certain death but relationship with the Father leads to a NEW & LIVING way. Jesus said ” my words are SPIRIT & LIFE ” Let the Spirit guide and teach you in all HIS ways. The world is looking for something….. we have what they are looking for. I’m not talking about getting them “saved” no, no, no, but rather they have an encounter with the ONE who Loves them from before the foundations of this known world. That of course is the Christ in us ! ( not just us but to every person on this earth who is born of a woman ) There are no laws, rules, or regulations to follow for it is written on our hearts. Jesus came to set us free from the law of sin & death. Beloved you are FREE indeed.
Would you please pray with us about the possibility of Coming to Africa some day if the Lord allows and may be do some ministry in this area? We have several house Churches network in Kenya pray that one day the lord may send you to come and strengthen our network with what God has put in you for the glory of the body of Christ. Please pray and see if the Lord leads. My heart has been to unite the friends and families for the love of Christ, as the bible says in Luke 10. I believe the dream of Jesus as in John 17 was to see the strong relationship united and show the world that we are one..
May God bless you as we continue praying for you and looking forward to hearing from you.
God bless you and keep you.
Yours in Christ.
Isaac & Emily Mukweyi
It’s funny. I wouldn’t want to live there.