# Churches converted into houses/apartments



## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

A great deal of communities in Europe and North-America are moving to a post-Christian era and churches are losing their followers and ultimately their raison d'être. 

The bigger ones are kept into museum type buildings, maintained by the state, but what to do with the smaller ones that often do not have the same historical importance, yet are still architecturally interesting and worth preserving.

Although I consider myself an atheist, I do enjoy the architectural beauty of churches and do not want to see them destroyed but rather adapted to the modern world.

There have recently been some beautiful conversion of churches into residential quarters. Let us share some of them.


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

Utrecht-based studio Zecc Architects has converted a catholic church built in 1870 into a spacious house.

Located in Utrecht in The Netherlands, the 5,112 square foot church features an open contemporary interior design.









































































MORE PICTURES: http://www.homedsgn.com/2011/05/30/residential-church-xl-by-zecc-architects/


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

Bonney Avenue Residence from an 1867 building, by Willis Greenhalgh Architects, Brisbane, Australia














































http://io9.com/beautiful-churches-that-have-been-converted-into-secula-583156045


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

A Gothic church built in 1909, overlooking Mission Dolores Park, San Francisco, California





































http://io9.com/beautiful-churches-that-have-been-converted-into-secula-583156045


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

Conversion of the late 18th century St. Nicholas Georgian Church, by Kyloe, Northumberland, England














































http://io9.com/beautiful-churches-that-have-been-converted-into-secula-583156045


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

The Abbey Church Lofts with a four-level penthouse in the bell tower, converted from the Howard Park Methodist Church, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2008
































































http://io9.com/beautiful-churches-that-have-been-converted-into-secula-583156045


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

Victoria Lofts, converted from the turn-of-the-century West Toronto Presbyterian Church, Toronto, Ontario, Canada




























http://io9.com/beautiful-churches-that-have-been-converted-into-secula-583156045


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

The St. Saviours, now a luxurious home with gold leaf hot tub, platinum leaf ceiling and a cinema room, Knightsbridge, London, 2004














































http://io9.com/beautiful-churches-that-have-been-converted-into-secula-583156045


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

The Victorian Westbourne Grove Church, built in 1953 London














































http://io9.com/beautiful-churches-that-have-been-converted-into-secula-583156045


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

A 19th century chapel with the original pipe organ a pulpit, Bedfordshire, UK





































http://io9.com/beautiful-churches-that-have-been-converted-into-secula-583156045


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

John Knox Church / Williams Boag Architects
Location: Brighton, Victoria, Australia























































http://www.archdaily.com/130106/john-knox-church-williams-boag-architects/


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

Very nice! I hate what churches represent, but they are almost always wonderfully designed. I hope this will become more popular as atheism continues to rise. They can also turn into art galleries, museums, and other exhibition halls.


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## Yuri S Andrade (Sep 29, 2008)

Very depressing thread. Society is completely giving up its cultural, spiritual heritage (which allowed it to build such beautiful structures) to replace it with nothing, but consumerism and obsessive self-promotion on social networks. The future of this civilisation is not promising.


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

Spirituality is a scam that holds no more weight in the modern world. Religion teaches us to be closed-minded towards others, and to obey an invisible dictator mindlessly and relentlessly. Those who don't are tortured until the end of time. Do we want this in today's society? And we don't need religion to be good to others - we can do that ourselves.

If more churches are converted into residential areas, we will not only have strong, spacious, beautiful houses, but it will provide a lot more people with homes instead of wasting all that space on religious hot air. If they're converted into art and science halls, people can learn much more about the real world instead of the fake world religion sells. We can keep some churches original as a museum - just like all the relic churches of the Ancient Greek religion of which Christianity will suffer the same fate.


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

Glenlyon , Scotland. Multiplicity design studio was responsible for the transformation of a small church to a house room for a family of 4 .














































http://besthomedesign.org/transforming-spaces-church-conversion.html


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

Despite a real estate slump, the sale of deconsecrated churches is booming in Italy, and some are being turned into original homes.


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

The First Church of Christ Scientist, which was built in 1917, has been converted into a luxury townhouse building, aptly named The Sanctuary.

Located in Seattle's Capitol Hill, the church-turned-luxury residence has been landmarked by the city, which ensures that -- unlike other abandoned places of worship -- it cannot be torn down.





































http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012...rsion-will-make-you-a-believer/#!slide=869950


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

Some general overview of churches. One of the most important points when converting a church into a residential building is to obvious maintain as much of the original architectural details, but also making sure to keep the space within the structure that clearly gives its architectural charm.























































http://www.domienova.com/blog/artic...eople-converted-churches-into-beautiful-homes


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## Yuri S Andrade (Sep 29, 2008)

ThatOneGuy said:


> Spirituality is a scam that holds no more weight in the modern world.
> 
> (...)


Hatred as I would expect. No wonder so many people died in French, Russian and Spanish revolutions. Given the right conditions, it would happen all over again. It's much intolerance, hatred.


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)




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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

>


Really nice! Honestly looks like a mansion rather than a church.



Yuri S Andrade said:


> Hatred as I would expect. No wonder so many people died in French, Russian and Spanish revolutions. Given the right conditions, it would happen all over again. It's much intolerance, hatred.


I'm going to be intolerant of the regime of religion which murdered more than anything else in history, hinders the equal treatment of all individuals in society, and teaches irrational thinking in order to worship an invisible power-hungry psychopath. All for the economic gain of the church leaders. You are right- a revolution should occur against religion, which has inspired more hatred than anything else.


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## Yuri S Andrade (Sep 29, 2008)

ThatOneGuy said:


> I'm going to be intolerant of the regime of religion which murdered more than anything else in history, hinders the equal treatment of all individuals in society, and teaches irrational thinking in order to worship an invisible power-hungry psychopath. All for the economic gain of the church leaders. You are right- a revolution should occur against religion, which has inspired more hatred than anything else.


So you are proposing killing people, right? Not that I'm surprised. You type of people have done it just yesterday. Also, all your posting in the SSC is creepy.


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

Where did I say that?

A revolution against religion woudn't go around killing religious people. It would put emphasis on science/logic in the schools, and on the equal rights that religion hinders for many members of society. How many atheists kill for atheism? None. How many religious kill for religion?
Also, don't resort to personal insults. Like I care what others think.


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## Yuri S Andrade (Sep 29, 2008)

You were brainwashed by the evil, bizarre regime that controlled your country for so many decades. It's useless to argue: too much violence, hatred, prejudice deeply rooted.


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

Again with the insults, man. My parents fought in the Romanian revolution, because Ceausescu enforced an idiot doctrine that didn't work. True atheism is against doctrines (it supports free thought, and asking questions, not blind obedience), which is actually why the only thing that can count as an "atheist revolution" is for those old religious doctrines to be forgotten. It will take years, maybe even centuries, but it is happening.

And to not disrupt this thread any longer, I'm ending here.


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

ThatOneGuy said:


> Really nice! Honestly looks like a mansion rather than a church.


There is actually an Adventist church from the 1920s in my neighbourhood that was converted some years ago into house. 

Me and a friend acted as potential buyers a few months ago, so we went to visit it. The church being protestant does not have much in terms of architectural details, but nonetheless has some interesting accents. It was selling for something like $1.5-1.6 M.


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

Such conversions in Bulgaria? I'm surprised, but there's probably even less in Romania :lol:
We are building a stupidly big church in Bucharest that will dominate even more than Ceausescu's Palace.


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

No. I live in Montreal, Canada. In Bulgaria, this will definitively not happen anytime soon.


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## grs1 (Mar 21, 2014)

there is a church to private residence conversion in wichita that is on the market asking for 3.5 million. its ridiculous. it will never sell for even 1 million. i agree with yuri that it is a sad phenomenon.


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

grs1 said:


> there is a church to private residence conversion in wichita that is on the market asking for 3.5 million. its ridiculous. it will never sell for even 1 million. i agree with yuri that it is a sad phenomenon.


What would be your solution? Taking in consideration that attendance is declining and they still need to be maintained?

It is much better to find new meanings to these churches rather than letting them crumble. Some are even being transformed into book stores or supercomputing center.



> BK Architecten transformed the old Church, called Broerenker into a beautiful bookstore. It’s located at the Dutch town of Zwolle, Netherlands. Broerenkerk church was built in 1466 and renovated the summer of 2013 in library Waanders.


http://www.wherecoolthingshappen.com/old-church-transformed-in-beautiful-bookstore-in-zwolle/



> Located in Maastricht, Holland this 13th century Dominican church has been transformed by the architectural firm Merkx + Girod in a project known as Selexyz Dominicanen Maastricht. The massive 1,200 square meter church was built all the way back in 1294, and although it has been updated for modern day use it still maintains many of the original characteristics and design elements.


http://inthralld.com/2012/06/13th-century-church-converted-to-modern-day-library-in-holland/



> MareNostrum is a supercomputer in the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, the second most powerful in Spain and one of seven supercomputers in the Spanish Supercomputing Network. The supercomputer is housed in the deconsecrated Chapel Torre Girona at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.


http://www.bsc.es/about-bsc/gallery/interior-torre-girona


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## grs1 (Mar 21, 2014)

at least the housing conversions are being filled with life. the computer sanctuary is depressing.


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

I think it juxtaposes well, scientific progress in an anti-science surrounding. I really like that first library, though.


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## GodIsNotGreat (May 20, 2010)

Science and learning replaces dogma. The significance of this is powerfully illustrated in these pictures.

Very nice.


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## Quall (Feb 15, 2006)

"My house has cathedral ceilings"

"Oh yeah?"


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## Utopian (Jul 22, 2009)

ThatOneGuy said:


> I think it juxtaposes well, scientific progress in an anti-science surrounding. I really like that first library, though.


I've visited both bookstores (recently in Zwolle, and Maastricht a couple of years ago), and I found them both to be very beautiful. The bookstores are in both cases inserted very respectfully in the old monuments.

I quite like the idea of using abandoned church buildings for secular purposes, What other kind of use is there when a church has been abandoned? 
There is nothing disrespectful about it (as someone earlier in this thread put forth). 
Had the Church behaved a little bit better, and had it kept up with modern science and morality, these buildings would not have been abandoned. But the church has not done those things (on the contrary), and instead of demolishing their now empty shells (which unfortunately has happened a lot around the world), these sometimes magnificent buildings are now put to good use. Be it appartments, bookstores, discoteques and clubs, art exposition rooms, or whatever.

In The Netherlands you can find a former church building that is transformed to another use in almost every city, town and village. The examples above (Maastricht and Zwolle) are two of the most spectacular examples. 
A lot of them are in mixed use: exhibitions, beer festivals, conventions, shops, all in the same building. I think that is a more moral thing to do then just destroy the churches when the religion leave them to rot (or destroy the buildings themselves).


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

faceplam for Yuri wich can't seem to leave his religious bias against modern society out.
a hint for you: Don't leave the pastoral grounds and community you're living in. The outside world may scare you.
-------------------------

Other than that this is a wonderfull thread. I don't know of any churches in Belgium that have been rebuild in residences yet. Most old churches that are disused are rotting away because the state isn't going to provide money to heat and repear a disused space and the golden days the church had money enough are long gone.

However I know of a handfull art galeries in churches overhere.

In Belgium catholic tradion is somewhat stronger than in the Netherlands. People still like to have their children do their communion because it's tradition, or have a funeral, wedding at a church ect... Most people younger than 40 only set food in church for commune, wedding and funeral as tradition. But for the real church going people, I'll give it another ten years before most churches are completely empty.

There are 4 churches in my suburban village. 2 are abandoned by the catholic church itself, no mass has taken place there since 2003. 1 church is still in use and has a shared priest with several other churches of other villages and only one mass each week. The last church was bought by the city and is now used for exhibitions.


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## Сталин (Dec 29, 2011)

ThatOneGuy said:


> How many atheists kill for atheism? None. How many religious kill for religion?


Let's see according to media.

The USSR murdered people, which the USSR supported atheism.
Communist China. 
North Korea.
Vietnam. 
Cuba.
Communist Afghanistan.

All murdered to get rid of religion and spread atheism.

How many Christian groups murdered people in the last 100 years? None.



GodIsNotGreat said:


> Science and learning replaces dogma. The significance of this is powerfully illustrated in these pictures.
> 
> Very nice.


 If you support Atheism, how about bashing Judaism and Islam? They are threatening society as we speak.



ThatOneGuy said:


> Spirituality is a scam that holds no more weight in the modern world. Religion teaches us to be closed-minded towards others, and to obey an invisible dictator mindlessly and relentlessly. Those who don't are tortured until the end of time. Do we want this in today's society? And we don't need religion to be good to others - we can do that ourselves.
> 
> If more churches are converted into residential areas, we will not only have strong, spacious, beautiful houses, but it will provide a lot more people with homes instead of wasting all that space on religious hot air. If they're converted into art and science halls, people can learn much more about the real world instead of the fake world religion sells. We can keep some churches original as a museum - just like all the relic churches of the Ancient Greek religion of which Christianity will suffer the same fate.


What year did you come from? 1970s USSR, communist? 

Let's bash political correctness. What about those mosques? Mosques are far more harmful than churches as they spread terrorism by promoting people in Europe to fight for Islam in Syria for example, where is the Mosques converted into houses thread? Because I'm looking forward to seeing that.



Ulpia-Serdica said:


> A great deal of communities in Europe and North-America are moving to a post-Christian era and churches are losing their followers and ultimately their raison d'être.
> 
> The bigger ones are kept into museum type buildings, maintained by the state, but what to do with the smaller ones that often do not have the same historical importance, yet are still architecturally interesting and worth preserving.
> 
> ...


 Ohh, so its the post Christian world. What about Mosques and synagogues? They are just as worthless, and we should convert mosques and synagogues into houses too. Or else those institutions will promote evil among the free thinking and scientific world. Mosques and Synagogues must be turned into useful housing ASAP. We don't need them wasting our resources for such destructive dogmas.



Yuri S Andrade said:


> Very depressing thread. Society is completely giving up its cultural, spiritual heritage (which allowed it to build such beautiful structures) to replace it with nothing, but consumerism and obsessive self-promotion on social networks. The future of this civilisation is not promising.


 Welcome to the Western World. Many people here don't believe in a religion spiritually. Many people value money more than friendship... Where social networks replace social relationships, and where there is no eye contact. You can thank liberalism for this. (And also Feminism.) ...Where Consumerism is god. Don't dare write "Consumerism" with a lower case "c" or the wraith of mega-corporations will punish you with extra high prices!


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

^^ All those countries were Stalinist, so they killed those who were not communist, it replaced religious dogma with political dogma that happened to have no room for religion. It was authoritarian. Iran, Iraq and other authoritarian religious countries also killed people. Authoritarianism kills people, not atheism. 
Communism teaches you not to question. Religion teaches you not to question. Atheism as an idea promotes discovery, asking questions, and getting rid of indoctrination.



> What year did you come from? 1970s USSR, communist?
> 
> Let's bash political correctness. What about those mosques? Mosques are far more harmful than churches as they spread terrorism by promoting people in Europe to fight for Islam in Syria for example, where is the Mosques converted into houses thread? Because I'm looking forward to seeing that.


My family fought against Ceausescu to have people accuse me of this... hno:
Ceausescu did not promote free thought and inquiry, nor did USSR, nor does religion. 

Mosques, synagogues, temples are all equally as guilty as churches are for the stifling indoctination they spread.


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## Huggkruka (Aug 26, 2005)

Сталин;114561861 said:


> How many Christian groups murdered people in the last 100 years? None.


Enjoy your reading for tonight:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_terrorism

A bit provocative, but saying "X group never murdered people" is a silly statement and I won't let it stand. You could probably find self-proclaimed _pacifist_ groups that have murdered people if you look hard enough.

Though on the flipside, churches are beautiful and represent some of the best western heritage. As buildings they are extremely successful in their interpretation of awe and heaven. Modern churches also gives a chance for architects to practice according to a very different ruleset. 

And to contribute a bit to the actual thread:

A modernist 50's church already being converted, this one in Münster into a kindergarten by Bolles+Wilson.




























All images: http://inhabitat.com/mid-century-church-transformed-into-a-fun-daylit-kindergarten-in-munster/


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## TimothyR (Feb 17, 2011)

Ulpia-Serdica said:


> Conversion of the late 18th century St. Nicholas Georgian Church, by Kyloe, Northumberland, England


Very sad and depressing. 

A formerly great civilization disintegrates and its former sacred places are vulgarized and destroyed - not by invaders but by its own barbarians. 

They even have the former hymnal panel. Stalin would have been delighted. hno::no:


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## Сталин (Dec 29, 2011)

ThatOneGuy said:


> ^^ All those countries were Stalinist, so they killed those who were not communist, it replaced religious dogma with political dogma that happened to have no room for religion. It was authoritarian. Iran, Iraq and other authoritarian religious countries also killed people. Authoritarianism kills people, not atheism.
> Communism teaches you not to question. Religion teaches you not to question. Atheism as an idea promotes discovery, asking questions, and getting rid of indoctrination.
> 
> Mosques, synagogues, temples are all equally as guilty as churches are for the stifling indoctination they spread.


 Then where are the threads for the mosques and synagogue that are being converted?

If only Christianity is destroyed, then it will only allow even worse religions to spread their dogma through unbalance as Europe was mostly Christian and tried to stop other religions.

Also the states listed where officially Stalinist states. And Stalinism did not live long after Stalin.


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## TimothyR (Feb 17, 2011)

Yuri S Andrade said:


> Very depressing thread. Society is completely giving up its cultural, spiritual heritage (which allowed it to build such beautiful structures) to replace it with nothing, but consumerism and obsessive self-promotion on social networks. The future of this civilisation is not promising.


I agree completely. I would say this civilization is already dead. Now the foundations are being ripped out.


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## Chicagoago (Dec 2, 2005)

We've had dozens of beautiful large churches torn down in Chicago, but there have been many many more turned into condo buildings. There are three or four of them right near my house. I was just reading yet another large church is coming down for a new condo highrise north of downtown. 

I don't care at all about religion, it's so outdated, but I do love some of the older buildings and would love to keep them. 

I do admire the church right nextdoor to my condo buildings, it's quite pretty.


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

There is no mosque or synagogue thread but I'd be happy if there was one. I'm not saying only christianity should end. All should end and be replaced with logical and more open-minded thinkng. All the "good" aspects of religion can be found without religion. But the indoctrination that blinds you from the real world is unique to religion.We are only holding on to the religions in the modern day because people are too scared to delve away from their parents' beliefs, or they've been preyed on by religious groups in a low point in their life where they lost sanity.


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## Chicagoago (Dec 2, 2005)

Here's a pretty one in Chicago:










And then there's this, 4 religious buildings all on one corner all converted to condos and houses:


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## Сталин (Dec 29, 2011)

ThatOneGuy said:


> There is no mosque or synagogue thread but I'd be happy if there was one. I'm not saying only christianity should end. All should end and be replaced with logical and more open-minded thinkng. All the "good" aspects of religion can be found without religion. But the indoctrination that blinds you from the real world is unique to religion.We are only holding on to the religions in the modern day because people are too scared to delve away from their parents' beliefs, or they've been preyed on by religious groups in a low point in their life where they lost sanity.


 Cults like Scientology are pretty bad. And they do go at people's low points to get them to join.

It is just that we are not at the level of having government and consumerism work with us. In fact, consumerism, capitalism, and the governments that supports it are working against us. Which is why being an "open-minded" atheist wont work. You should read Edward Bernay's work, he is who founded most concepts in the Western world. The West follows his dogmas. He should be worshiped by the West. Not some crappy "open mindedness" because open mindedness does not really exist.

Also since most people know that society is not as great as Hollywood portrays it, is another reason why people want and need help from otherworldly dimensions. Do you really think that all the homeless people would be happy being "free thought" atheists? They would suicide one by one. They still need hope from another world... And so do many of us.



Huggkruka said:


> Enjoy your reading for tonight:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_terrorism
> 
> ...


I will use ThatOneGuy's logic. Those groups believed in twisted ideas, which where not Catholic. Therefore Christianity has never killed anyone in the past 100 years.


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## Yuri S Andrade (Sep 29, 2008)

Chicagoago said:


> I don't care at all about religion, it's so outdated, but I do love some of the older buildings and would love to keep them.


The Church has been around for 2,000 years and religion is as old as the mankind. Murderous anti-religion fads come and go, but they'll stay forever.

I've posted this once but it fits perfectly here: the Church is art, philosophy, science, civilization in their most sublime form. She survived crazy Roman emperors, plagues, wars, greedy States stealing from her, cheap but yet genocidal ideologies and the list goes on and on. It's not angry, vacuous-minded, weed-smoker, semi-illiterate people who will pose any challenge to her. They'll soon be dead while the Church will remain till the end of times as Christ himself promised. And of course, haters gonna hate.


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

And religious whiners are going to whine untill eternity. If you are so determined in the words of a book wich is written by a lunatic in a cave and god shall prevaile in the end, quit the whining allready about a few disused churches being put to a better use.


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## Yuri S Andrade (Sep 29, 2008)

Envy, hatred, resentment... The usual.


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## ikops (Jun 12, 2008)

More like.... indifference. Have been wondering by the way whether this thread should belong in urban planning and redevelopment.


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## grs1 (Mar 21, 2014)

ikops, there is a moderator over in the india section who is saying that western governments are giving india wheat that causes infertility. really i don't care about the usual anti americanism except to respond with a little sarcasm but this is way too far. especially from a mod.


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## GodIsNotGreat (May 20, 2010)

I hope to see in my lifetime the conversion of Saint Peter's Basilica into a museum, or something other than a symbol of superstition.


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

Most of the vatican is a museum anyways and the church makes millions of Euro's on tourism in the vatican buildings


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## Сталин (Dec 29, 2011)

joshsam said:


> And religious whiners are going to whine untill eternity. If you are so determined in the words of a book wich is written by a lunatic in a cave and god shall prevaile in the end, quit the whining allready about a few disused churches being put to a better use.


Religious winners will win for eternity. 

I'd follow what some guy in a castle wrote rather than what some weed snorting hippie wrote from a mental hospital. Clergy where not idiots in their time, they had status and power. The ideas you get for "open mindedness" and liberalism and feminist atheism comes from weed smoking hippies in the 70s. Look at the clergy, they are honored by people till this today. Hippies, on the other hand, today are old wrinkly farts that probably can't even read anymore from frying their brains on acid.


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

Why'd you think I'd follow hippies and drug snorting people? I didn't recall mentioning that.


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## ikops (Jun 12, 2008)

Okay, there is no need to discuss religious matters here. 



grs1 said:


> ikops, there is a moderator over in the india section who is saying that western governments are giving india wheat that causes infertility. really i don't care about the usual anti americanism except to respond with a little sarcasm but this is way too far. especially from a mod.


You'd have to specify that a bit more.


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## grs1 (Mar 21, 2014)

this thread has inspired me to aim for perfect attendance at my church. lets all check in here on sundays.


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## socrates#1fan (Jul 1, 2008)

ThatOneGuy said:


> Where did I say that?
> 
> A revolution against religion woudn't go around killing religious people. It would put emphasis on science/logic in the schools, and on the equal rights that religion hinders for many members of society. How many atheists kill for atheism? None. How many religious kill for religion?
> Also, don't resort to personal insults. Like I care what others think.


Look, I'm agnostic and my personal belief is that human made religions are, by their nature, wrong.

But at the same time, this utopian idea of a religion free society built on logic and science isn't going to happen. Humans are intrinsically spiritual or religious on some level. It is in our nature to derive spiritual and transcendent meaning from things.

If you are waiting for religion to die, you are going to be waiting until the extinction of man. 

Rather than having a hatred for this part of our nature, we should learn how to shape it better and refine it.


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## TheReconstructer (May 27, 2011)

Oh look, it's a church that was converted to apartments and stores in the '80s in The Netherlands!

*Grote Kerk, Hoorn*


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## TheReconstructer (May 27, 2011)

Maybe posting pictures and posts about churches that were converted to whatsoever instead of bragging at each other would be nice


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## FeänorBR (Jan 18, 2008)

Just as Pagan temples were converted into Christian temples in the past, churches are now being filled with humanity's new gods and their correspondent functioning systems (science, capital, the market). It's an ongoing process, and it never stands still for long. It is sad in the nostalgic sense, as we are seeing something fade away before our very eyes. The Church has its share of blame for being so power/blood thirsty. Meanwhile other religions still prosper in the less ‘enlightened’ places of the world, as the Church fades away the West has acquired a much more effective and sophisticated ‘religion’, which does not have the drawbacks our old identity had, I mean, with all the plagues that Christianity might have contributed to the world, it is intrinsically against power in its core message, or it should be, as a former slave religion. Not that science is free of charge since perfecting the slaughtering of lives to the push of a button, but its benefits are really evident here and now, and that allows people to forget the dangers imbedded in every step of progress. At least they are not being torn down completely, these new ‘gods’ have more respect than the old one had. Maybe its Science acknowledgement for its early nurturing in the womb of the Church, in spite of the abortion attempt that followed.


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

The difference is there's no false promises in science.


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## FeänorBR (Jan 18, 2008)

The difference is science makes no promises, at least not in the sense of ultimate goals, people believe it does. Maybe because of the shiny stuff that comes out of its functioning intricate system. I mean, all the material wealth that outcomes from the enterprise of science. Religion is still making promises, it just so happens that people don't believe in them anymore, not with something else giving them more immediate results. And that might also be the case with the other 'gods' I mentioned, some even have dogmas of their own.


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

*The former Roman Catholic Church of St. Joseph in Arnhem, Netherlands, one of hundreds of decommissioned churches, was turned into a skate park.*



















*A former Lutheran church in Edinburgh became a Frankenstein-themed bar.*










*A 19th-century church became a clothing store in Arnhem, Netherlands*










*The former St. Paul’s church in Bristol, England, is now the Circomedia circus training school.*


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

Le Saint-Jude Espace Tonus - former Dominican church on St. Denis Street in downtown Montreal


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

In Toronto there is a project called Sanctuary Lofts. It attempts to reuse the exterior shell of a church after it burned down in a fire.


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## DBadger (Mar 27, 2012)

J Sainsbury supermarket, *Wolverhampton, England*.









churches-uk-ireland.org









Express and Star









Wikimedia Commons









j-sainsbury.co.uk

The church was used as an entrance lobby, cafe/restaurant, and offices.

It was previously derelict.









historywebsite.co.uk


Now vacant and seeking a buyer.


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

Not a residential, but this synagogue in Leszno, Poland, was converted to an art gallery


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## florida2000 (Jan 22, 2015)

:basheople renounced their religion will bow to someone else . Muslim Europe does not seem so far away hno:hno:


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

Hopefully they'll bow to reasonable things


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## Fudgis (Apr 16, 2015)

This thread offers much hope, that whilst the decline in church attendance is forcing ever more treasured pieces of architecture into an uncertain future it isn't necessarily as perilous a fate as it once was. During the 1960s-80s in the UK it was usually more a less the case of once the congregation was gone the building would soon follow, but now with so many creative alternatives and opportunities for architects to redefine those great internal spaces there is much more hope of an extended life. 

As a child I watched with horror as a magnificent Gilbert Scott church in my home town was being pulverised by a wrecking ball, how different things might have been had it lasted a few years longer for a more creative solution.


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## JulioCAF (Jan 8, 2015)

edit


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## keepthepast (Oct 23, 2009)

ThatOneGuy said:


> The difference is there's no false promises in science.


Ha! All the people in chicago that sold their warm coats because Albert Gore's science promised warm balmy breezes got pretty snookered on that promise! :lol:


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

What's with all the climate change deniers on this site, honestly?

Science follows the facts. The hypothesis changes based on evidence. There are no false promises.


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## Photodash (Jun 30, 2015)

I feel very ambivalent about some of these conversions. On the one hand it is nice to see the buildings saved from neglect, dereliction or demolition. On the other it just seems profane to see them turned into skateboarding centres or branches of Sainsbury's. Something more elevated would seem preferable. I'm not much of a Christian, but it seems indicative of cultural, aesthetic, moral and spiritual decline. These buildings seem not just deconsecrated but in some cases desecrated.

Anyway, some more examples... This Baroque church in Worcester, UK, ended up as a 'Slug and Lettuce' restaurant.




















http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restau...Lettuce-Worcester_Worcestershire_England.html

This classical church in Worcester became a night-club called 'Tramps'.


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## Botswana (Aug 29, 2009)

florida2000 said:


> :basheople renounced their religion will bow to someone else . Muslim Europe does not seem so far away hno:hno:


:nuts:


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## SturmBeobachter (Jun 10, 2013)

This is at least alarming in any possible way.


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## Spookvlieger (Jul 10, 2009)

Alarming in what sense? That people aren't opressed and kept dumb by the religion and the church?


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Portico Apartments, Sydney


Portico (2 York Street, Sydney) by Yvonne Frindle, on Flickr


A closer look at the old church part by Christopher Wong, on Flickr


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## Photodash (Jun 30, 2015)

That doesn't look like it was a church, more like a gothic-facaded office block. A horoble Frankenstein of a building with that addition, anyway. And not in a good way like the Frankenstein bar in Edinburgh, which is quite suitable in some sense. Not too bad if you don't look up, though...


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Photodash said:


> That doesn't look like it was a church, more like a gothic-facaded office block. A horoble Frankenstein of a building with that addition, anyway. And not in a good way like the Frankenstein bar in Edinburgh, which is quite suitable in some sense. Not too bad if you don't look up, though...


It's pretty obvious that it was once a church. The redevelopment was controversial when it was done back in 2005 and I'd rather they left it as it was too.


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## mw123 (Oct 23, 2009)

Not a house/apartment but an old little church in Sydney turned into a boutique designer store.



poguemahone said:


> *Parlour X*
> 
> Finally checked it out monday. Unfortunately it was pretty dark, gloomy and wet so didn't make for the best pics. What a store.


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## Mori778 (Jul 22, 2015)

The difference is science makes no promises, at least not in the sense of ultimate goals, people believe it does


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## Union.SLO (Dec 24, 2007)

*The Minorite Church in Maribor, Slovenia*

The church from the 12th century, which stood derelict for several years, has been renovated and revitalised - it's now arranged as a hall with 300 seats, which will be a venue for concerts, exhibitions and smaller productions.

_Before:_



















*Now:*













































http://www.siol.net/kultura/novice/2015/09/minoritski_samostan.aspx


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

^fantastic, I love seeing things like this.

Isn't there a famous festival for experimental jazz somewhere in Slovenia, with one venue being a church btw?


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## Union.SLO (Dec 24, 2007)

Hm, I honestly have no idea, I don't follow this kind of music and also found no info about by googling it.


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

It seems like I was thinking of the Ljubljana Jazz Festival but the one with the church used as a venue is the Konfrontationen Festival in Austria (Nickelsdorf).


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## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

2 examples from Toronto, Canada

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=121826290&postcount=269

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=129395305&postcount=344


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## JMGA196 (Jan 1, 2013)

^^ Some of the best changes ever :applause: :applause:


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## diguis (Sep 18, 2011)

*POTOSI BOLIVIA*
*Bethlehem church*

This church in the main square of the historic city of Potosi in Bolivia was restored in 2002 and converted into a theater, remodeling consists of the seats , setting, a coffee works in the ancient catacombs , and a panoramic viewpoint city ​​, besides this there are two other samples in this beautiful city refunctionalization soon show you , greetings.

Ubication in 16th century



Ubication in 21th century



Planes



outer

Day







Night





inside

Theater


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## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

It's great to see ruinous churches converted into something that bears life.

*Telford Church, Berneray, Scotland*

Before:










After:

Telford Church, Berneray 2 by John Pearson, on Flickr




































http://www.patienceandhighmore.com

Thanks to ThatOneGuy! http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=222812&page=150


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## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

Another nice one:

*Durham, England - "Residential Church"*

Before:









After:





















































http://msalx.casa.abril.com.br


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## Roy Corduroy (Mar 22, 2015)

St Michaels and All Angels in Bromley by Bow, London. A docklands church converted to flats in the 1970's. Free parking is a plus.


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## JMGA196 (Jan 1, 2013)

*1886 Cathedral in Fort Greene, NY, turned into duplex:*


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## Zaz965 (Jan 24, 2015)

thanks for everyone :cheers::cheers:


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

London


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## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

*Nikolai Church, Rostock, Germany*

A very special example for a "residential church", unprecedented in its size:

*St. Nikolai Church, Rostock, Germany*

During GDR times in the 1970s, this large Gothic church was converted into apartments (hall) and offices (tower). I don't have interior pics of the apartments, but I guess there are some on the web.

You can see the balconies of the apartments in the hall roof:


















https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rostock_Nikolaikirche_Suedansicht.jpg

Cheers everyone!









https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...ngen_im_Dach_der_Nikolaikirche.jpg?uselang=de

Graphic scheme:









http://www.nikolaikirche-rostock.de/DIE ANDERE NUTZUNG/DIE-ANDERE-NUTZUNG-2.jpg


The funny thing is: it's actually still used as a church and public cultural institution, too. Under the roof, the community re-established after the fall of the wall 1990. The Gothic vaults etc. remain untouched.









http://www.nikolaikirche-rostock.de/Die_andere_Nutzung.html


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

Why did some copper turn black?


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## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

^ Modern copper doesn't show the patina of former times. It takes much longer to turn green and sometimes even turns gray-blackish. Not sure about the specific reasons though.


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## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

I'm glad they reconstructed the little church tower and saved this chapel with a new use, but there shouldn't be balconies on the facade of a church:



JanVL said:


> Culemborg, the Netherlands
> 
> Old chapel before:
> 
> ...


From: *Revitalization in Your Cities *


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## JMGA196 (Jan 1, 2013)

erbse said:


> I'm glad they reconstructed the little church tower and saved this chapel with a new use, but there shouldn't be balconies on the facade of a church:
> 
> 
> 
> From: *Revitalization in Your Cities *


That's what I thought, but at least it looks better now.


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

Singelstraat Church, Muiden, Netherlands (1928)


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## wakka12 (May 17, 2015)

Not converted to apartments but
A church in dublin was turned into a club/bar, dont know how the catholic church approved of this!


















Its really cool, some of the tables are converted confession boxes! haha


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## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

Perhaps we could add other church conversions here?

Such as these:



wakka12 said:


> A couple from Dublin..
> 
> Disused church in Dublin will be converted into a food market.
> St Andrews Church, Trinity Street, Dublin 2.
> ...


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=147851179#post147851179



wakka12 said:


> Restoration of church ruins in to new public space
> St Lukes church in the historic Dublin liberties
> 
> 
> ...


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=147851179#post147851179


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## Nabil007 (Sep 10, 2017)

*Saint Basil's Cathedral ,Moscow | Russia*

Saint Basil's Cathedral, Moscow | Russia

Is a cathedral located in the Red Square of Moscow, near the Kremlin, characterized by domes of onion, and the colors are cheerful, they are often confused between St. Petersburg Cathedral. It is the most famous building in Russia and an international symbol of the city of Moscow. It was named because the Russian people and the tsar loved Saint Basil.
More here:
http://www.adesiggn.tk/2017/04/saint-basils-cathedral-moscow-russia.html


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## PropertyBroker (May 30, 2020)

Very nice objectc is located for sale in Poland right now: 468m2, 1300 m2 plot area, 10,5 m high (!) - Original building fro 1832 (!) one giant open space area: all info in link: Church for sale,


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## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

These are rather "brutal" conversions, leaving little of the church aura. I think such transformations should make an effort to keep more heritage visible and protect the sacral vibe more. If you want something super modernist as a dweller, look for newer buildings. 









Saving Grace: 7 Churches Converted for Residential Use - Architizer Journal


The vaulted ceilings, arched windows and deep history make churches an ideal choice for people seeking unique homes.




architizer.com


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## ThatOneGuy (Jan 13, 2012)

Baumannkerk, Rotterdam, Netherlands | HOYT architecten | 1953/2022


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