It had been a long time since a mass had been held in St. Mary's Church in Essen-Steele. After its closure in 2008 and deconsecration, the listed church served as a clothing store – until a courageous property developer came along who had the confidence to convert the historic building into private living space. The Schlun Baugruppe took on the project, brought the Recklinghausen-based architectural firm Dr. Herman Klapheck on board and not only created extraordinary living space behind the church walls, but also built an apartment building with 21 modern flats on the adjacent site of the former vicarage. The old quarry stone wall, which has been extensively renovated and surrounds both buildings, bears witness to the connection to the church from the street side. Five single-family homes are currently being built on the west side of the church.

Twelve freehold flats ranging in size from approximately 52 to 153 m² have been created in the former sacred building, most of which extend over two floors, with the units in the two side towers extending over three floors. From the outset, the measures were closely coordinated with the monument authorities. The exterior of the former church was not allowed to be changed much; larger window openings and balconies on the west side were approved, but these were installed without altering the façade. "The construction work was also carried out in such a way that the building could theoretically be restored to its original condition," explains Reinhard Kalker, managing director of Schlun Projektentwicklung. Inside, a wooden framework with drywall partitions divides the flats, which extend to the right and left of the shared central aisle in the nave. The original sandstone floor could not be preserved, but many details bear witness to the building's former use. For example, listed church windows bathe some rooms in fantastic light, and the capitals of columns that extend recognisably across the high rooms can now be found in a modern bathroom. During the construction work, the historical elements were secured and partially restored. For example, the copper cladding of the three-winged entrance door had to be reapplied to the new entrance door, which meets sound and heat insulation requirements. The baptismal font and a church bell were also preserved and integrated into the newly designed outdoor areas.

www.schlun.de
www.dr-klapheck.de

Photography Credits:

Christian Deutscher
www.deutscher-fotografie.de

(Published in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 02|23)