Sven Sterken part of consortium awarded with a research contract to develop a ‘Reuse Profile’ for Flemish parish churches

Design research carried out for the Projectbureau Herbestemming Kerken by Tom Thys Architecten/Studio Roma/Sven Sterken, 2017

The consortium Sven SterkenEndeavour (Jonas De Maeyer) and REST Architecten (Dimitri Minten) has been awarded a 150K research contract by the agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed of the Flemish Government with a view to designing a ‘Reuse Profile’ (‘Herbestemmingsprofiel’) for all 1800 Flemish parish churches. The aim is to devise a tool that can be used by local stakeholders to evaluate the reuse potential of their local parish church. This instrument constitutes a key element in the Flemish government’s endeavour to develop a long-term strategy towards the increasing number of redundant parish churches in Flanders, next to the systematic implementation of Church Policy Plans and the new Platform Toekomst Parochiekerken, which is coordinated by Roel De Ridder (also affiliated with the Faculty of Architecture). The results of this research will be presented during a ‘roadshow’ which will halt in all 5 Flemish provinces.