The document outlines the challenges and opportunities regarding the reorientation of abandoned sacred spaces across various countries including Belgium, Serbia, Italy, and Estonia. It discusses the emotional and cultural significance of churches, the declining number of congregants, and potential new functions for these buildings, while highlighting the need for creative solutions that respect their sacral character. The document also details a workshop aimed at exploring these themes through student collaborations on specific church sites.

2. ‘Abandoned Sacred Spaces’

3. international
workshop
3

4. Belgium: Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp
Servia: Belgrade
Italy: Torino
Estonia: Tallinn
U.K.: Canterbury
4

5. Ghent
Brussels
5

6. Belgium.
Ghent and Brussels
6
Hogeschool voor Wetenschap & Kunst

7. Ghent&Bruss
Belgium
Belgium in general:
Through the ages
Today: Mainly for special occasions
funerals, weddings, Solemn Communion...
Consequence = an increasing secularization
Why keep the churches?
It determines the image, the heart of the village/town.
A lot of people get emotionally connected to it.
It’s an important spatial, cultural and historical
point of orientation, St.-Niklaas Church, Ghent

8. els.
Vision
Since 1931,the Belgian government protects valuable buildings as monuments.
Reorientation of churches: Abandoned Sarcred Places.
The original function of the building is in most cases difficult to maintain, due
to the decreasing number of church user. Althaugh trying to maintian it’s original
use is preferable, new functions need to be causiderd in order to keep it’s valuable
contribution to society
and it’s urban fabric.
examples:
Musical performances
Party hall
Beer depot
Restaurant
Museums
Class rooms
Four star hotel Brigittinenkerk Augustijnen Church
Hairdresser Brussels, Cultural Centre Antwerp, Concert Hall 8
...

9. Antwerp

10. Belgium.
Antwerp
artesis antwerpen
10

11. Antwerp.
Belgium
VACANT SACRED BUILDINGS PROBLEMATIC
BELGIUM:
past = Catholicism was very popular
present = decrease of active believers
limited number of participants in mass
large scale sacred buildings
high maintenance costs
renovation and conservation costs
less participants + high costs
less income
financial aid of the government
new (commercial?) functions
reticent attitude of the church towards new
functions

12. DESECRATION
Desecration
condition for conversion?
Is the church a willing party?
Reticent attitude of the church
CHURCH COUNCIL OR ‘KERKFABRIEK’
public organisation for material and
financial support
exists of the priest and religious
appointees
Belgium, Italy and parts of France Antwerp, the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Cathedral
Influences the functional future of church buildings
12

13. Belgrade
13

14. Serbia.
Belgrade
University of Belgrado
14

15. Belgrade.
Serbia
Temple of Saint Sava
This is an example of a typical Orthodox church in Belgrade.
15

16. Bitef
The church, as seen in the pictures above, is reused as a been theatre.
16

17. Torino
17

18. Italy.
Torino
Politecnico di torino
18

19. Torino.
italy
Sacred Sacred
as emotion and as collectivity,
mystic experience commuity and
public space
introspection community
tradition identity
dogma
cohesion
emotions
urban form
intimacy
spirituality public space
mysticism memory
unfathomed folklore

20. Sacred example Sacred as identity
as a container
for new Designing from
functions the ruins
container
reuse Cathedral destroyed
by the earthquake
scenography between
public and sacral
spaces:
design a new plaza for
Salemi
trend
Salemi Cathedral
performance Alvaro Siza,
Roberto Collovà
aesthetics Sicily, 1983 20

21. Tallinn
21

22. Estonia.
Tallinn
Estonian Academy of Arts
22

23. Tallinn.
Estonia
1. 2
. 3.
1. Estonian religion before Christianity was strongly connected with forests and nature.
2. For Estonians a sacred place could be any place in the forest, related to legends or myths.
3. Sacred tree in Laekvere, worshipped in ancient times. This 9.5 m high pine tree was one of
the pair of trees, called “Bride and Groom”.

24. as many churches in Estonia was the
Roots Mihkli Church in Tallin 1531
reformd in a GYM from 1944-1990
24

25. Canterbury
Canterbury
r
25

26. UK
..
Canterbury
University for Creative Arts at Canterbury
26

27. Canterbury
U.K.

28. How is today’s understanding of religion and historic places within
our country developing?
The English Heritage protects historic buildings and their
meanings by developing them for modern uses but at the same time
by being sympathetic to what they once were.
Without the English Heritage, history would be lost and historic
buildings would be subjects to crude conversions.
28

29. Staff
different schools
Stijn Cockx Bonino Michele Riet Eeckhout Tom Callebaut Ephraim joris Paul Wauters
stijn.cockx@architectuur.sintlucas.wenk.be tom.callebaut@architectuur.sintlucas.wenk.be
michele.bonino@polito.it ejoris@ucreative.ac.uk
riet@ap.com.mt paul.wauters@artsis.be
29

30. Karel Deckers Vladimir Milenkovic Marjan Michels Tomà Berlanda Branko Belacevic Stefaan Onraert
karel.deckers@architectuur.sintlucas.wenk.be bbelacevic@gmail.com
link@arh.bg.ac.rs stefaan.onraet@architectuur.sintlucas.wenk.be
marjan.michels@artsis.be tomaberl@iuav.it
30

31. Matrix of Workshop
at x
31

32. It’s organized round the idea of a matrix: 10 topics for 10
mixed groups of students.These ten topics should be elaborated
on by each group in a ‘spatial’ and conceptual way.
This workshop should thus enable students to create a
theoretical model. This model should be applied into the two
the two churches: St. Suzanne and St. Nicholas Church.
Exteriorisation Circulation Evolution Typology Environment
Vocabulary Groups Taboos Rituals Localisation
Buildings Social entities Tradition Icons Climate
Organisation Spirituality Indi.collective Monuments geography
materialisation Behaviour conflicts Identity Sence of space/place
Religion Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 Team 4 Team 5
Reorientation Team 6 Team 7 Team 8 Team 9 Team 10

33. MatrixWorkshop
Team 1
33

34. team 2

35. MatrixWorkshop
Team 3
35

36. What makes you identify in relegion?
what is identity?? Does identity still exsists?
Is identity related to a specific form?
team 4

37. MatrixWorkshop
r e l i g i o n g o e s beyond p l a c e , i t n e e d s s p a ce
m u l t i fo r m m o d e l / s p a ce
C l o s e d p l a ce _ s o r row, re f l e c t i o n ,
meditation, interiorisation
Team 5
Permeable space_ different points of
v i e w, m u l t i p l e space
Open space_ communion, gathering,
identity catacomb sacred hollow sacred building
37

38. team 6

39. MatrixWorkshop
Team 7
39

40. team 8

41. MatrixWorkshop
Team 9
The elements are part of the church The church will keep his identity because
The church will contain its history it is a monument itself.
The remaining members of congregation
wont be dissappointed. Creating a new perspective of wider popula-
tionby looking less sacral.
Conclusion
Retaining the sacral building and the feel
of sacracy by the present of his structure,
Identity depends on the namely thick walls, brick walls, big doors,
type of reoriantation, no high seeling...
strickt rules can be made
The church looses his meaning en histry,
because every project will many churches are named to a holy man
be individual. standing as a statue in front of the church.
41

42. team 10

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43

44. 1. YOT B: Religion & Re-Orientation
2. KERKFABRIEK: Sint-Anna-ten Drieën Church
3. Sven Sterken: 20th century religious heritage (in Flanders)
4. Flemish government: heritage
5. Hans Foncke: Modelling sacred space
6. Jos Vandenbreedenen: St. Suzanne and St. franciscus church
44

45. lecture
Religion & Re-orientation
1.
Yot B
Yot B is a team that assists groups in the startup and
development of innovative projects at the intersection
of aesthetics and spirituality.
They asked
Tom Callebaut
Sofie Verschuere
to re-Orientate the MagdalenaChurch for
‘Bruges cultural capital’ in 2002
TO MEET

46. an experiment about space, man and religion
the Neo-Gotic Church retains its function, but by upgrading you’ll get
a different kind of costum.
46

47. lecture
Sint-Anna-ten Drieën Church
2.
Kerkfabriek
This is a public institution designed to provide the management of
movable and immovable property of the church, maintenance and security of
the church heritage , recruiting and hiring of paid staff.
Erik Balbaert
He is the president of ‘the Kerkfab_riek’
Sint-Anna-ten-drieën,Antwerp,Linkeroever
see www.sint-anna-at-drieen.be
winning
project

48. Working Group mission
In our church community at
Builder priest Local contact Linkeroever
churchfabric person all people of goodwill are
welcome,
Eric Antonis KIEZEL Flemish Irrespective of their country
(ex-intendant Government of origin, age, sex or
Architect religion,
Antwerpen ‘93)
+ art cell
We invite everyone to
parishioners Parish team celebrate life together,
every day, in joy or in
pain,in a contemporary form
and language
Because we believe that, in
this way,we can make the
house of God a warm home that
brings us a little closer to
the discovery of heaven...
48

49. lecture
20th century religious heritage (in Flanders)
3.
Sven Sterken (1975) is an engineer-architect. Before graduating at
Ghent University (B) in 1998, he studied in Pretoria and Paris. In 2004,
he obtained a PhD in architectural history at Ghent University with a
dissertation on the spatial and media work of the composer, engineer and
architect Iannis Xenakis.
Future use of church buildings: strategies
Re-orientation Demolition Deliberate vacancy Joint use

50. Conclusion: challenges ahead!
Ecclesiastical authorities:
allow alternative use, conversion, sale or even
demolition as these processes are of all times.
Civil authorities:
Raise awareness to the problem
Invest money not only in buildings but also in research
‘Master plan’ to rationalize cost for society
Architectural community:
creative solutions to accommodate new functions with respect
for building’s sacral character and typological features
50

51. lecture
Flemish government: heritage
4.
Piet Geleyns (1975) has studied engineer-architect at KUL, he has
also a master in conservation of historic towns and buildings at the
R. Lemaire Center for Conservation (2000)
Since August 2004 is piet heritage adviser to the Flemish Government
(RO Vlaanderen) to contact UNESCO for World Heritage Flanders.
Possible solutions ?
Preserve the original function, but add additional uses.
Preserve these buildings, but look for a new function.
Abandon these buildings, in order to replace them with new,
more suitable buildings & projects.

52. Listed religious buildings are no different than
other listed buildings …
But the features that make up the essence of these
buildings (specific decoration, typical spaces, …) often make
it harder to find acceptable new functions.
exemples
W L
E E
L S
L S
Covered market @ Sarlat-la-Canéda,Fr Small shop @ Wolweverskapel + Chapel of the Holy

53. lecture
Modelling sacred space
5.
Hans Foncke (1965) is a architect and has a degree in Art History.
He’s Practice Assistant at Ghent University and assistant at the School
of Science and Art, Department of Architecture, Campus Sint-Lucas Ghent
and Brussels since 1993.
Hans Foncke is a great lover of books, Berlin and Rome.
A model is universally applicable, not because it’s narrowed down to fit in
everywhere, but because it’s so rich and layered that it conquers any context.
A model estranges the commonplace.
A model questions the question. The model is a research tool.

54. [a] model
from philosophy construction modelling
sacred space
Sir John Soane, Sir Bruno Taut, Glasbauspiel Le Corbusier: Andrea Pozzo, Corridoio.(Rome)
John Soane’s Museum Alan Wexler, Crate House. Maison Dom-ino.(1914-1915) Bramante, la Santa Casa di
(London, 1796-1837) Bruno Taut, Glashaus (Keulen,1914) Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut. Loreto. (Loreto, 1507-)

55. lecture
St. Suzanne and St. franciscus church
6.
Jos Vandenbreeden is director of St. Luke Archives and
professor at the Department of Architecture Sint-Lucas.
He is the author of various publications on Art Nouveau and Art Deco
in Belgium.
55

56. St. Suzanne is a modern church built from 1925 to 1928
to plans of the architect Jean Combaz. It is the first
church in Belgium made entirely from concrete.
Remarkable are the spetial windows of Simon Steger and
master of the glass Jacques Colpaert. The monument is
protected by the Brussels-Capital Region.
The Sint-Fransiscuschurch is an neogothic church, with
a neo-byzantine bell tower. The church is built in two
parts.
The oldest part at the back dates of 1893, the new part
dates of 1937 to plans of the architect Colles. In 1994
the exterior was restored, now they restoring the inside.

57. Trips
57

58. - Visit to Duffel, Bruges and Edelare (BE)
- Dance performence in KVS (BE)
- Visit to Wachendorf Mechernich, KÖLN (DE) and Vaals (NL)
58

59. Field Trip
Visist to Duffel Bruges and Edelare
Duffel,
1Thierry De Cordier
.
(Oudenaarde, Belgium, 1954)
Is a Flemish Belgian visual artist,
painter, sculptor, designer,
graphic, poet- philosopher and
builder of installations and
environments.
For the garden of the psychiatric center at Sint- Norbertus, Duffel,
built Thierry De Cordier a ‘Chapel of nothingness’ (2007).
This sacred space conceived as a quiet space for patients and visitors to
the institution, a place of relaxation and meditation.
The chapel is a mysterious black box, with a contrasting white interior were we find just
one bench and a black pillar in front of the eight meter high wall.

60. wednesday 11 february
2
.Yot B
(Bruges, Belgium, 2003)
Yot is a team that assists groups in the
startup and development of innovative
projects at the intersection of
aesthetics and spirituality.
The neo-Gothic Magdalenakerk received in 2002 in honor of
‘Bruges Cultural Capital’ a new interior.
The re-orientation of the church is a place for every person who is
looking for meaning.
60

61. Field Trip
Visist to Duffel Bruges and Edelare
Duffel,
3
.
Robbrecht and Deam
(Ghent, Belgium, 1970)
They are architects from Ghent and they
belong to the representatives of the New
Simplicity.Their work is characterized by a
strong belief in the autonomy of the
architectural form.
The concert hall clad in red terracotta tiles is built in function of Bruges
cultural capital of Europe. The 4 different facades of the building show
several views of the city: a park, the shops, the station, a square ...
The building creates a new, modern look for the historical Bruges.
The concert hall is built on springs so that the vibrations from the outside
are absorbed by the structure. The two music rooms also have a very good acous-
tics by lining the vagaries of the ballustrades.

62. wednesday 11 february
4
.
Juliaan Lampens
(Eke, Belgium, 1926)
He is graduated in 1950 as architect of
the school of architecture Sint-Lucas in Ghent.
His oeuvre consists mainly of building houses,
with the exception of a library and the chapel.
Edelare
The Onze-Lieve-vrouw chapel was built in 1570 and burned down on February 21, 1961. But
that does not means the end for the chapel, a new modern chapel built by the architect Juliaan
Lampens.
He had a preference for concrete: “I’m not in love with concrete, but on the opportunities that
this material offers. The constructive gesture that you as an architect suggests, is the first
step to beauty. “
62
The architecture is stripped to the bane necessity with just the essence remaining.

63. Field Trip
Visist to Duffel Bruges and Edelare
Duffel,

64. wednesday 11 february

65. dance perfor
kvs oo9o
www.kvs.be . KVS/Arduinkaai 9

66. rmance
1 Fender Bender
Saterday 14 february
Asli Öztürk / Rosa Mei / Jeanfrançois Blanquet
In Fender Bender the dancer, Asli Öztürk, plays with the idea of twin reverb. The twins, in this
case, are nor indentical dancers, but one dancer and an everchanging sound element. Sound preform-
er, Jeanfrançois Blanquet, views sound as a living object that changes constantly from both shape
and function. It can be smarmy or spluttering like drops of water in bruning hot oil. Asli Öztürk
was finalist in 2007 at the INternational Solo Dance Festival in Stuttgart.
2 Can You Repeat?
Ayse Orhon
Can you, as an onlooker, whilst watching a performance, discern the physical voyage of discovery
the dancer makes? Figure out the movement codes? Dancer/ choreographer Ayse Orhon takes you along
on the intimate journey of how the performance was put together, from reharsal to presentation.
She hasn’t put the emphasis on her physical strength and beauty, what she has done is take time out
the stress those incredibly awkward moments that arise when finding out new movements.
Ayse Orhon was one of the 3laureates of the very first Prix Jardin d’ Europe.
3 Masar Kadrievi, Gipsy Orchestra, Dj Shantel, Merdan Taplak 66

67. Field Trip
Visist to KÖLN and Wachendorf Mechernich
Veldchapel,
1
. Peter Zumthor
Wachendorf Mechernich
The tent shape placed long trunks served as formwork for the enclosure of the chapel area,
with in the roof a hole. Then they burned the timber away with a slightly smoldering fire
with the result a cave-like room with the remaining structure of concrete printed logs.
Zumthors prayer house is a strong sign of recognition in the landscape.

68. Sunday 15 february
KÖLN city and metropolitan district in Germany and is famous for its fairs,
Köln is a
the carnival, the various Christmas markets and Kölsch beer.
The Gothic cathedral is the most important church of the diocese of Köln.
2. It is the largest cathedral in Germany and one of the largest in Europe.
The cathedral is 144 meters long and 86 meters wide. The towers are 157 meters high.
68

69. Field Trip
Visist to KÖLN and Wachendorf Mechernich
Kolumba Museum,
3
. Peter Zumthor
köln
The building, located in the center of Köln, was founded on the ruins of an old Gothic church.
In the museum there is also a modern chapel of the architect Gottfried Böhm.
The museum was an architectural integrity where the artwork was displayed to its maximum effect.
Sunday: 12h-17h

70. Sunday 15 february
Jesuit church Sankt Peter,
4. Köln
Located in the center it's the last preserved Gothic cathedral in the city, originally built (1513-1525)
as a 3-aisled gallery basilica. Kunst-Station Sankt Peter Köln is a sensuous haven for contemporary art
exhibitions from the likes of David Salle, Francis Bacon, Anish Kapoor and many others.
Sunday: 13h-17h clock 70

71. Field Trip
Visist to KÖLN and Wachendorf Mechernich
The Abby Sint Benedictusberg,
5. Father Hans van der Laan
Vaals, NL.
Father van der Laan studied architecture under Professor Grandpre-Molière in Delft. He has built several
monasteries including the Dominican monastery in Vaals, for which he received an architectural price.
The Rule of Saint Benedict writes prayer, but also manual, as far as possible in their own living needs.
There is a chapel, laundry, kitchen, bakery, tailor, smith, garden, guesthouse…
http://www.benedictusberg.nl/

72. Sunday 15 february
72

73. ‘ Abandoned
n
Sacred Spaces’
p es
73

74. Exploring potential in/ near/between places of worship in
Brussels.
(St.- Suzanne and St. Nicholas)
The key question is not why churches are being abandoned. The
workshop focuses on the church as a public realm: a place where
people can gather, interact regardless of any kind of belief.
The potentiality of a religious building lies in the multiple use
without abandoning the religious function and character of the
building.
The goal is to deepen knowledge, to inspire, to communicate, to
research and eventually to trying to reach a tangible
result.
74

75. Project
‘Abandoned Sacred Spaces’
BECAUSE OF RELIGION BEEING PARTCIPATED
BECAUSE OF RELIGION BEEING PARTCIPATED
MORE INDIVIDUALLY. RELIGION DOESN’T A
SPECIFIC PLACE ANYMORE. THERE FOR RELIGION DOESN’T A
MORE INDIVIDUALLY. WE
CALLED THIS SPECIFIC PLACE ANYMORE. THERE FOR WE
CHURCH A NON-PLACE.
CALLED THIS CHURCH A NON-PLACE.
OUR PROJECT IS ABOUT MAKING A STATEMENT
ABOUT THE EMPTY CHURCHES. IS ABOUT MAKING A STATEMENT
OUR PROJECT WE WANT TO
EXP
EXPLODE THIS EMPTYNESS ALL OVER THE CITY.
ABOUT THE EMPTY CHURCHES. WE WANT TO
SO THE CHURCH’S INTERIOR WOULD BE DEVIDED
EXP
OVER THE URBAIN EXPLODE THIS EMPTYNESS ALL OVER THE CITY.
SPACE. BY PLACING A CAMERA
INSIDE WE WANT THE CHURCH’S OUT THE
SO TO BRING INTERIOR WOULD BE DEVIDED
EMPTYNESS ANDOVER THE URBAIN SPACE. BYIT.
CONFRONT PEOPLE WITH PLACING A CAMERA
IN THE SAME TIME PEOPLE WHO SEE THE
INSIDE WE WANT TO BRING OUT THE
BROADCASTED EMPTYNESS ARE FILMED AND PEOPLE WITH IT.
EMPTYNESS AND CONFRONT
PROJECTED AFTERWARDS INTO THE CHURCH.
IN THE SAME TIME PEOPLE WHO SEE THE
BROADCASTED EMPTYNESS ARE FILMED AND
THE INTERIOR SPACE STAYS MENTALLY LOCKED
BECAUSE PEOPLE DON’T KNOW WICH CHURCH ITINTO THE CHURCH.
PROJECTED AFTERWARDS IS
ABOUT.
IN THE SAME TIME THE NON-PLACE FYSICALLY SPACEFYSICALLY
IN SAME TIME THE NON-PLACE STAYS MENTALLY LOCKED
THE INTERIOR
STAYS A NON-PLACE, BUTA NON-PLACE, BUT MENTALLY THE SEVERAL WICH CHURCH IT IS
STAYS MENTALLY THE SEVERAL
BECAUSE PEOPLE DON’T KNOW
PLACES IN THE CITY CANINBECOME ACAN BECOME A PLACE
PLACES THE CITY PLACE
ABOUT.
AGAIN FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE. CERTAIN PEOPLE.
AGAIN FOR
IN THE SAME TIME THE NON-PLACE FYSICALLY
STAYS A NON-PLACE, BUT MENTALLY THE SEVERAL
PLACES IN THE CITY CAN BECOME A PLACE
AGAIN FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE.
Team1 N O N - P L A C E P L A C E

76. 76

77. Project
‘Abandoned Sacred Spaces’
Abandoned Spaces
team2
77

78. 78

79. Project
‘Abandoned Sacred Spaces’
Abandoned Spaces
Team3

80. A temporary, flexible installation exploring
the way a space can be experienced
based on the existing conflicts in the
spatial expression of religion
80

81. Project
‘Abandoned Sacred Spaces’
Abandoned Spaces
team4
81

82. Identity carpet_shifts in perspective
The concept is the carpet in the meaning of a surface where people of differ-
ent identities can lay down and experience the sense of community.Carpet has a
religious universal value and give to people a warm and confortable sensation.
The carpet allowes to add new functions connected with soft activities
(dances, pilates, talking and laying togheter)but also it can be used connected
with the history and the icons of the church in order to valorize them or to
hide them to give a more neutral view.
Putting a carpet and working with strips of different high that create a new
landscape it’s possible to change the way of perception in a church, by the
means of tentative contamination, adding different plans and using the
possibility of attraction and atmosphere, like warmth and comfort.
The sitting of the curch are flexible and movable, are balls
hidden behind the carpet and each person can move and place it, in
order to create different settings according to the performance
(religious or not). 82

83. Project
‘Abandoned Sacred Spaces’
Abandoned Spaces
3 entrances
3 emotions
Team5

84. A volume containing three different entrances
creates three new approaches to the church.
They symbolise the ideas of progressin religious
context.
Each one of the entrances reflects a basic aspect
of religious feelings throughout the history and
several religious traditions.
Each approach allows people to have a varied
perception of religious environment.
84

85. Project
‘Abandoned Sacred Spaces’
Abandoned Spaces
team6

86. Reorientation – Materialisation
When thinking about the materialisation of a church, we came to the conclusion that air is the main material.
It takes in the largest space in the building. It contains the specific atmosphere of the church.
Our main goal with our model is to preserve this typical atmosphere. On the other hand, we also have an
aspect of church that we definitely want to change. We want to change the main rules and traditions. In live
plenty of things al already forced on us. Therefore in the church we want people to think for themselves.
They have to make their own decisions and really commit to being there.
We take boundaries as decision points and as difficulties to cross to another level. The walls on itself are no
boundaries.
By crossing it you come into the public space. The boundary makes it easy to access the public space but
makes it hard to return. This public space is very flexible, it can be used for different kinds of public events.
It is actually an extension of the outside. From this area you can choose to move up to a superior level by
crossing another boundary. This boundary is harder than the previous one and works in the opposite way.
It’s very hard to cross it but easier to come back to the public space.
The proportions are always similar in every situation, but the exact dimensions change within every case.
86

87. Project
‘Abandoned Sacred Spaces’
Abandoned Spaces
Team7

88. ‘Personal growth through communal experiences, enriched by the past.’
The tree offers a conceptual framework which combines our research and functional demands. Symboli-
cally the tree offers a wide range of meanings and influences. In our project the focus is placed on the
build-up of a tree and the different significations of each part. The roots stand for history, back-
ground, community. All this comes together in the stem of the tree which is a way to grow as an indi-
vidual. A person is a sort of conclusion of his roots. Meetings, education and experience make you grow
as an individual. You branch out and become a ‘richer’ individual.
Rope is used to translate the tree-idea to reality. The roots are exposed to attract people and lure
them in from the street. You enter the space next to the roots following them up from the street. Once
inside the church the roots go up and come together in a central spiral (the stem). This creates a cen-
tral square for various functions, according to the time of day or need. During the day families with
children can make it their ‘city garden’.
Congresses can be held with a speaker standing centrally surrounded by his public. Besides new functions
the reorientation also allows for the original religious celebrations.
The priest preaches from the middle and the parishioners can place themselves in the
structure listening, watching,. Group-functions are completed with the possibility of
experiencing the church privately.
The tree-structure allows for people to climb up to higher, more individual spaces. The
higher you go the more secluded you are.
The communal feeling is placed centrally, your origin, your past, your roots... these are the points of
contact. Every ‘tree’ is different according to the church or building in which it is implemented.
The essence is connecting roots. 88

89. Project
‘Abandoned Sacred Spaces’
Abandoned Spaces
team8

90. Our project is about restoring religion and
reasserting the church as an important
feature of a community and of religion via
the deconstruction and reconstruction of
the church tower.
By deconstructing it, we create a scar in
the city skyline, drawing people to the
place the tower should be, therefore
bringing it closer to the people.
It then becomes a community project in
which the community rebuilds the tower
either the same or differently.
The church then becomes a pinnacle part
of the community once more through the
memories and activities around the
project.
90

91. Project
‘Abandoned Sacred Spaces’
Abandoned Spaces
Team9
91

92. 92

93. Project
‘Abandoned Sacred Spaces’
Abandoned Spaces
team10

94. Our first intention of reorientation is not to look at the architectural structure,
but the purpose of the church. As a group we feel it is not necessary to
make a spectacle out of the church (Tourist Attraction). We wish to create an
object that can change and adapt to the cultural diversity of the community.
relevant to the people that use it. We wish to create
Our design needs to be
an internal environment within the church. The sacredness of the church
is not in dispute but the relevance of religion is. We believe that making the
church more accessible for different activities. We can revive the church as
the heart of the community. We want to keep the initial experience of the
church intact, and not obstruct the view with are design. Our design needs
to benegotiable within the space and will have a multifunctional purpose.
The Design needs to be able to grow and adapt to perform its function. 94

95. st
95

96. 96

97. tha
thank you
an
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98. The fact that abandoned places are not demolished and nobody wants to
remove them means that interior architecture and architecture is more
than form and materialisation. Spaces have a history, a story, a
local legend, an emotion… The reorientation of churches has historically
always been a point of discussion but when we look at our heritage
history we see that our churches today also have a future.
When I look back at our ten days of the workshop, I’ve seen all our
students asking questions, working together, arguing, researching, and
designing with one purpose: giving all those buildings a new future.
The different nationalities, backgrounds and cultures have given them a
lot of knowledge in approaches, backgrounds, and conflicts… There is not
one answer for the reorientation question, but the internal discussions
and the research by design became the working method and proved to be
successful.
First of all I would like to thank all the students for their positive
cooperation and way of working. It was a tough workshop and for the ones
who reached the finish line: I’m very proud of the results.
Secondly I would like to thank all the people who gave a lecture, my
colleagues who supported the workshop and the administration for making
all this possible. A special thanks to Nele, who did not participate in
the workshop, but did all the administration.
It was a great experience! Thanks,
Stijn Cockx
organisator ASP - workshop
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99. C Ruth Boute & Sara Buffel.