Church Conversions

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Church Conversions

From holy sanctuary to divine home: heavenly church conversions

Starting life as a house of worship, churches and chapels can take on a whole new existence as a beautiful and functional converted home when their ecclesiastical days are over. Churches and chapels often have a wealth of period features and open spaces that make for versatile conversion into a family home or apartments.

Despite the nave becominga kitchen or thetranseptbecoming a bedroom, it’s crucialthatthe bones of the building remain the sameandthatkey stonework and glass features areretainedwherever possible.

Appointing an architect with expertise in heritage buildings is an important first step to the perfect project. At MarbleAir Architects, we have worked on many church design and build projects, from extensions and impressive entrances to bespoke renovations and conversions.

A Church Conversion in Cottingham, Northants

A Church Conversion in Cottingham, Northants

We recently worked with a client on the conversion of a Methodist Church to a family home. The property was not a listed building but is located in a conservation area near Corby in Northamptonshire.

We first sketched out some concept designs to explore the client’s ideas and ensure we understood his budget, time scale and objectives, e.g. will he be living in the property or renting it/selling it. We know that the process to convert a church or chapel can beat least a year of complex project planning and building work, so it is important to build a strong relationship of trust with the client.

With our experience in church renovations, we are able to guide clients through the entire process,with key considerations and recommendations such as:

  • Level 3 building survey to determine any structural issues
  • Heat loss analysis and heating solutions that fit the building and budget

MarbleAir Architects assists with all of the RIBA work stages and can extend the service in to full project management if required by the client. Many inexperienced or busy clients appreciate our full service, providing support from start to finish.

Click here to view our gallery of design images for the Methodist Church in Cottingham Before and After

Our favourite features of church conversions

The features of a church must take centre stage in any conversion. Exposed roof trusses andstone pillarsremind us of the building’s past andhelp toretain a sense of space. Stainedglass and gothicfeatures also give greatpresence and stature to the building’s new life.

The spacious nature of churches and chapels lends itself to open plan living but some division of the space is essential to create bedrooms and more cosy areas. A great church conversion cleverly combines a sense of open space with a feel of homeliness.

The challenges and delights of a church conversion

Getting the mix of old and new just right is the biggest architectural challenge with a church conversion. The client doesn’t want to feel like they’re living in a church hall but still wants to enjoy the light and space that a church brings, they want to enjoy a modern, functional living space surrounded by the unique features and character of the original building.

A converted church or chapel provides a one-of-a-kind living experience, an open layout for creative interior design and plenty of space for entertaining and working. The large windows

of churches provide abundant natural light but their position takes careful consideration in the design. Of course, old buildings come with a varied set of challenges, both for the conversion maintenance–the upkeep costs can be higher than regular homes. A lack of outside space also maybe an issue with churches and chapels, or you might have a graveyard as a neighbour.

At MarbleAir Architects we are well-used to dealing with the challenges of the planning system, conservation areas and listed buildings, we are happy to guide our clients along this tricky path. We have become experts at church renovations by working on community projects for churches and this evolved into full residential conversions.

Why we love church conversions

From vaulted ceilings and gothic windows to fascinating timber and stone features, we love the unique quirkiness of churches and the story they tell of the building’s place in local history.

We love being instrumental in preserving these amazing buildings for future generations and giving them a new lease of life. It’s important to MarbleAir Architects that the conversions we design are respectful of the church’s heritage whilst providing a unique living experience for its new owner.

Converting a church or chapel into a liveable space is a rewarding adventure that requires careful planning, creative design and a skilled team of building professionals to make it happen.

Planning to embark on a church conversion journey?

If you are planning to embark on the church conversion journey, please email happytohelp@marbleair.com or call us on  +44 (0) 1491 528912

At MarbleAir Architects, we love to bring this all together to transform church spaces match the client’s needs. We pride ourselves on our holistic project management approach to planning, selecting tradespeople, managing utilities, interior design and of course keeping control of the finances. We love to create homes with great character that people love to live in.

Have any other questions ?

If you have any questions or you’d like to work with us on a project, simply contact us via EMAIL and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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