Interior convertions: Redesigning the Village Church for Adaptive Reuse

Abstract

As more and more village churches loose their original function as a house of worship adaptive reuse is an increasingly popular strategy for preservation of religious heritage. Transforming the local house of worship to stage a new scenography implies a redesign of the interior. Three types of ecclesiastical architecture in rural Groningen , the Netherlands , have been redesigned in recent years to house a new functionality. Architectural interventions by definition change context. However it can be a accepted as a valid preservation strategy. The addition of new layers to the existing heritage has resulted in interesting spaces which reveal the qualities of these ecclesiastical buildings.

Keywords

• Religious heritage
• Ecclesiastical architecture
• Church
• Adaptive reuse
• Redesign