Rundown water towers, forgotten farmhouses, and decaying churches are like molding clay for these architects and designers. A church becomes an apartment, a water tower becomes a family’s dream house, and an airplane hangar turns into an island resort. You and I may not have that vision when we look at one of these old buildings, but that’s the imaginative genius behind the challenging task of architectural conversion.
Water Tower to Industrial Residence
The team from Zecc Architecten converted this water tower in the Netherlands into a residence fit for a family. Made of concrete, glass, and steel, this eye-opening structure is divided into two parts to incorporate functional living areas. Eight rooms are stacked within cylinder tower, and a spiral stairway cuts right through the center. The top level houses the parents’ bedroom, study, and rooftop sauna while the bottom has the standard kitchen, living room, and children’s bedrooms. The echoes from yelling in this steel tower must be fantastic for the kids. This tower once delivered water but now delivers vertical living.
Photo source: Zecc Architecten
From Chapel House to Trendy Apartment
Zecc Architecten also restored a hundred-year-old chapel located in Utrecht, Netherlands into a spacious, trendy residence. The 2,700 square foot home has all the standard living spaces, including a living room, kitchen, study, etc. But the cantilever stairway that leads up to the organ loft is truly original. Vibrant stain glass windows compliment the all white interior, and when the sun hits them at the right angle, gorgeous reflections shine onto the floor. It might be tough to get intimate with the surrounding religious undertones, but the awkward duality of trendy design and religion definitely gives this conversion character.
Photo source: Zecc Architecten
