.... for churches facing rising property values and dwindling congregation sizes, maintaining a foothold in city centers has become increasingly difficult. As ownership of these buildings passes on to secular institutions, their preservation has given developers, entrepreneurs and architects an opportunity to change the cultural and economic landscape of cities.
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In other parts of the world, recent adaptive-reuse projects have sought to retain the civic functions of sacred spaces. In the Netherlands, a trend to convert old churches into libraries and bookstores has revitalized industries facing similar challenges. Examples include Boekhandel Selexyz Dominicanen in Maastricht, by Merkx + Girod Architecten, and Waanders In de Broeren in Zwolle, by Bkpunt Architectuur.
In the city of Vught, interior architect Jan David Hanrath planned an ambitious conversion of a 1884 church into a multi-purpose community space. The De Petrus project, which was completed earlier this year, has revitalized the old building with a library, museum, workshops, stores and a café.
To integrate these spaces, the architect sought to create a highly-flexible environment that could accommodate large community events.
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