Jaw-Dropping Building Conversions

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.

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

Massive Church Converted to Modern Bookstore
The Dutch architects Merkx+Girod took on the challenge of converting an 800-year-old Dominican church into a commercial store to sell books. The architects utilized the space within the church by creating multi-story steel bookshelves so as not to shadow the character and preservation of the church. Guests climb the stairs from story to story, taking them closer to the ceilings to browse books, as well as gaze at the religious murals along the walls. On the ground floor where pews once laid, are book displays and magazine stands as well as a café with a cross-shaped reading table in the center—how fitting. Booklovers come to Selexyz Dominicanen Bookstore to worship books; architects come to worship the genius design.



Photo source: Scapegoat on flickr (cc)



Photo source: Merkx+Girod