Turning the church inside out

Abstract

The Jacobuskerk is currently the Catholic church of Winterswijk. Because of the outflow of churchgoers, there is a high probability it will lose this function in the future. Therefore, the challenge is to find a new purpose. There is an opportunity to create a public space in the church which can act as a meeting place for the whole community. The function that has been chosen is a library and community center. This communal function continues the social aspect of church buildings. As the new function requires a more open appearance, several transformations will be made. The values ​​of the church serve as a starting point for these transformations. Firstly, the front and the back of the church are better connected to the surroundings. The church is located in between a shopping street and a park. At the front of the church this is done through a colonnade, connecting the shopping street with the entrance of the church. At the back of the church an extension is made in the form of a public stairs and tribune looking over the park. The roof of the extension forms an elevated walkway, connecting the park and the shopping street. Secondly, the nave is transformed into a library space. The existing building is adapted to meet the new requirements. A bookcase with three floors is placed in the aisle of the church. A curtain is applied as a room dividing and acoustic element to transform the space into an event space. Thirdly, an element is placed in the transept of the church. This will create an interior garden inside the church space. The facade of this element is inspired by stained glass windows. The colored glass creates an interesting play with colors in the interior of the church. The interior garden is accessible from the elevated walkway. Underneath the element, a sheltered reading room is created.