Religious Heritage as Placemaker for Rural Cores

A toolbox with design implications for revitalization of rural shrinkage regions in the Netherlands by adressing vacant church heritage and the surrounding village core

Master thesis (2022)

Authors

J.S. ten Hove Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

S.C. van der Spek Urban Design - Architecture and the Built Environment (supervisor 1)
G.A Verschuure Landscape Architecture - Architecture and the Built Environment (supervisor 2)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment
Copyright: © 2022 Joell ten Hove
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Published Date

01-11-2022

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

One in five municipalities in the Netherlands is prognosed to experience population decline by 2050. Especially rural settlements will have difficulty facilitating this shrinkage and the negative effects involved. With a depriving variety of available facilities and an increase in vacancy, local communities are on the border of falling apart. At the same time, an increasing number of churches are left vacated and out of service while religious participation declines. This graduation project aims to revitalize the heart of villages with the church at the center to increase the livability and social cohesion. Connecting the local community with the heritage of churches and their role in society again. With a toolbox filled with design interventions as a final product and the implementation of this toolbox on three different project locations throughout the Netherlands, this thesis provides a first step to a beckoning new perspective on the identity of rural cores.