Converted Churches

By Queuebot in Architecture on Feb 9, 2009 at 2:18 pm

Normally when we talk about religion and "conversion" we are referring to people that decided to make a major change in their faith. But what about actual religious temples going into a major conversion?

That is the case -among others- of this Dominican church in Netherlands that has been converted into an amazing bookstore, with a coffeeshop that, well…, let’s say was a bit controversial.

Check out some other churches turn into more mundane businesses.

Link

From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by scbr.

Tags: Architecture, church, Italy, Netherlands, uk

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ziggystardust
Feb 9th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
I am a big fan of the National Cathedral architecture.

http://www.american-architecture.info/USA/USA-Washington/National_Cath edral_Center.jpg
Church
Feb 9th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Meh. That’s a secularization. The RC Church has ceremonies for ‘decomissioning’ churches, not newsworthy.

For a conversion, see e.g. the Hagia Sophia.
Nestor
Feb 9th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
No list is complete without The Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh. Gives “going to Church” a whole new meaning. http://www.churchbrew.com/
Skipweasel
Feb 9th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Would there be a fuss about setting up a prayer meeting in a disused coffee house?
Spinningmind
Feb 9th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Secular != Mundane
SpuriousLogic
Feb 9th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
A great one not on this list is The Tabernacle in Atlanta. It’s a former baptist church turned into a concert venue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tabernacle
mikos
Feb 9th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
As a fantasy, I always wanted to buy a beautiful church with great acustics and turn it into a crazy night club!
Barking Bud
Feb 9th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
That’s in my hometown of Maastricht WOOT! (do people still “woot”? hehehe)
Allimar
Feb 9th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
My first marriage was in a church. A church converted into the town’s community art gallery (my Jewish grandma would have plotzed if I married in a REAL church). It was awesome; high ceilings, great lighting and surrounded by paintings and sculptures. Very cool.

And of course, there was The Limelight, in Manhattan before all the drug dealing & that club kid murder shut it down.
Ben B.
Feb 9th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
We bought a church and are in the process of turning it into a house…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fyngyrz/sets/72157600422927302/

…it was essentially an empty cube on two city lots when we bought it, now it has a pair of lofts (master bedroom and music studio), kitchen, dining area, bathroom, spa, library, and a 204″ home theater upstairs, while in the basement we put in a wood shop, an electronics shop, a stained glass shop, a dollhouse shop, a weight room, a photo studio, a cattery, and a laundry. There were already two bathrooms downstairs, plus various closets and hallways.

We’ve been at it for two and a half years; I think it’ll take about another two to finish.
Wok
Feb 9th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
well like this is really only interesting if like the churches were architecturally interesting to begin with.

Like, imagine converting a gothic cathedral into a skate park.

…

Oh nelly.
gtron
Feb 10th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
in Newfoundland (very catholic background) they turned a nice stone church into a strip bar… then god burned it down:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2006/08/31/fire-c otton.html
Lore
Feb 10th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
My friends and I constantly talk about buying a church and converting it into a club/bar and calling it “The Cathedral” with the original paintings still up etc. Why let such a beautiful building go to waste?
Gauldar
Feb 10th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
@gtron

If god it responcible for human stupidity, it makes sense he made this happen too.

http://www.neatorama.com/2009/01/27/car-crashes-into-church-roof/
Lala
Feb 10th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Also in strip district of pittsburgh, there’s a church turned into a nightclub and in philadelphia and church was turned into a concert venue.
Justin Lynes
Feb 10th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Here in Charleston, the Holy City (a name earned by all the churchs in our skyline), there is a church in one of the shopping districts that is now an Atlanta Bread Company.
RayL
Feb 21st, 2009 at 9:36 pm
There’s a restaurant called ‘The Church’ in Stratford, Ontario — site of long-running Shakespeare Festival. There are at least two condos based on churches in Toronto.

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