Adaptive Reuse of Roman Catholic Churches

Good Practice and Viable Solutions for Converting Sacred Spaces
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-032-88300-7
Verlag: Taylor & Francis

Buch, Englisch, 238 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm

Reihe: Routledge Research in Architectural Conservation and Historic Preservation

This book examines the adaptive reuse of Roman Catholic churches through twenty-five case studies from Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. It addresses the complex intersection of theology, heritage conservation, and contemporary social needs and explores how sacred spaces can serve new secular purposes while preserving their spiritual, historical, and cultural significance.

Integrating historical, theological, architectural, and policy perspectives, the book traces the historical evolution of church reuse, the impact of secularization, and the ethical responsibilities of architects, alongside the conservation principles that shape sacred heritage management. Theological reflections address ecclesiastical spatial symbolism, canon law, profanation, and episcopal guidelines in the selected countries. Comparative national profiles analyze religious demographics, church infrastructure, and property stewardship. Case studies illustrate diverse reuse models – from liturgical continuity to radical transformation – across cultural, social, commercial, residential, and interfaith contexts. The conclusions synthesize the findings, offering strategies that balance heritage preservation with contemporary functional needs.

This publication is aimed at architects, historians, art theorists, architecture researchers, conservators, priests, and the managers of these buildings, as well as enthusiasts of sacred architecture who care deeply about its future, as the book is intentionally multi-layered and multi-dimensional.

Zielgruppe

Academic, Postgraduate, and Undergraduate Advanced

Autoren/Hrsg.

Arno, Maria

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Christliche Kirchen, Konfessionen, Denominationen Katholizismus, Römisch-Katholische Kirche
• Geisteswissenschaften Architektur Gebäudetypen Sakralbauten

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Chapter 1. Research context and aims Chapter 2. Theoretical framework and historical context of church reuse Chapter 3. Theological reflections and ecclesiastical principles on the interior and adaptation of Roman Catholic Churches Chapter 4. Religious landscape and church property management in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Poland Chapter 5. Case Studies Chapter 6. Discussion and final conclusions

Über Autor(innen)

Maria Arno (PhD) is an architect and Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Architecture at Warsaw University of Technology. She earned both her MA degree in Architecture and Urban Planning (2016) and her PhD (2023) from the same institution. Her work focuses on sacred and monumental architecture, and she is the author of articles and scholarly publications on the adaptive reuse of churches, monument preservation, and sustainable architectural development. She is a member of Future for Religious Heritage, the European Academy of Religion, and the ICOMOS Poland Committee on the History and Conservation of Sacred Architecture.