Though this saying is trite, it remains ever true: beauty is undeniably in the eye of the beholder.
That's why so many find joy in upcycling and repurposing old, used objects and making them not only fantastically renewed and gorgeous, but also entirely functional.
It is in reconstructing and redesigning certain elements of the original — while simultaneously retaining others — that we can best revive something that has lost its spark.
This is exactly what one architecture firm did. Dutch design company Zecc Architecten focused their efforts on converting entire churches into livable family homes.
There is one such home that is just absolutely stunning — its interior is sleek yet comfortable, and still pays homage to the spatial uniqueness of the original church.
Many houses of worship in The Netherlands, as well as in other countries across Europe, have seen a decline in churchgoers. Hopefully renovations like this one will help people rediscover the awe that beautiful churches can inspire.
Please SHARE if you thought this church went through an incredible makeover!
Designers at Dutch architecture firm Zecc Architecten have given new meaning to a church that was, until recently, an empty, abandoned space. Renamed "Residential Church XL," the Catholic St. Jakobus Church was repurposed, refurnished, and transformed into a family residential home. Photographer Frank Hanswijk captured these stunning images of the renovated church.
There are hundreds of empty churches in The Netherlands — more than 1,000 churches have been entirely closed by church communities since 1970. More than a third of those churches have since been entirely demolished and have lost their original functions. Because the costs for conservation are high, most of these churches have been left abandoned.
Luckily, some churches have fallen into the care of talented hands. The creative team at Zecc figured that the only way to save the Gothic-style St. Jakobus Church from destruction was to "recycle" it. Most importantly, they wanted to do this without disturbing too much of the building's original qualities.
Located in Utrecht City, the church hasn't seen religious services since 1991. Until 8 years ago, it had been used as a space for antique furniture exhibitions, meetings, and small concerts.
Because of this, a large mezzanine floor had been built inside the church. During the renovation, the architects paid extra attention to reconstruct the floor's spatial alignment with the windows. This optimized the source of natural lighting in the space. They also made openings in the walls and removed certain portions of the mezzanine floor to allow for perfect lighting. A bathroom, study, and bedrooms are located beneath the mezzanine.
Though they did make changes to have the space be more "open," the design team made sure to modify as little as possible. They kept the wood floors, the magnificent stained glass windows, and the original church doors. Old walls, columns, and arches were also retained, while new white flooring was added to the upper level. In doing so, they composed a fusion of old and new, a link between the historical past and the present.
Kitchen and dining areas were added on the ground floor. Old pews were upcycled to construct the dining table. To help let even more light in, new sleek windows were added nearby, creating a striking and stunning contrast to the century-old, colored stained glass windows.
Materials used to reconstruct various elements of the residence include steel, wood, and sheet metal for the stucco surfaces and parapets.
The end result was a remarkable space that fused spacious floors, superb natural light, and great functionality. The creative team successfully built a living space that didn't compromise significant aspects of the old church or its exterior build.
Residential Church XL has become treasured as a notable municipal monument, as it sits right on one of the city's main canals and is close to many tourist attractions and nightlife establishments.
What did you think of this transformed church? Let us know in the comments below, and please SHARE!
