How this Abandoned Church was Converted into Four Luxury Apartments скачать в хорошем качестве

How this Abandoned Church was Converted into Four Luxury Apartments

Gel Architects have transformed a long-abandoned, dilapidated church into four refined apartments, deftly balancing ecclesiastical gravitas with a dose of contemporary cool. Standing on the corner of two suburban streets on the lower slopes of Maungawhau, St James Church is a Category B-listed heritage building with a layered past. Designed by architects John Mitchell and Robert Watt, the building opened in 1900 as the Mount Eden Congregational Church. Later renamed St James Presbyterian Church, it remained in use by a Cook Islands Presbyterian congregation until 2014, before falling into disrepair. Designed in a highly symmetrical neo-classical style, the church was, as architect Graeme Wrack explains, “considered a pure architectural expression at the time — restrained, ordered, and free from the excess of baroque ornamentation.” By the time Gel Architects became involved, that clarity had been obscured by years of neglect. “Like many Aucklanders, we had walked and driven past the building for years, watching its slow decline,” recalls architect Tim Daniel. “It suffered vandalism, squatters moved in, and nature began reclaiming it. Vines crept across the façade, trees grew from the parapets. It was at real risk of becoming another lost piece of Auckland’s heritage.” So when a long-time client arrived at Gel’s studio one day announcing he had purchased a church — and wanted to convert it into apartments — the proposition was both unexpected and welcome. “It marked the beginning of a five-year journey,” Graeme says, “to bring these residences to life.” The challenges were considerable. Large classical churches are notoriously difficult to adapt for residential use, yet, as Tim notes, “conversion was imperative for its survival — and for preserving its history for future generations.” A comprehensive seismic upgrade was required, and with heritage protections in place, the architects adopted a light-touch approach. Four apartments were carefully inserted within the existing volume, effectively creating a building within a building. The new seismic structure is left exposed throughout — an intentionally industrial counterpoint to the historic fabric. Unsurprisingly, the original interior presented as a cold, damp and dark void. Introducing warmth, light and air without compromising the protected elements became central to the design response. “We couldn’t alter the windows,” Graeme explains, “so instead we introduced oversized skylights, drawing natural light down through a triple-height atrium and into every level of the building.” Each apartment is given two external walls — an unusual luxury in apartment living — allowing the architecture’s most evocative features to shine. Vast stained-glass windows are fully restored, while externally the masonry façade has been carefully repaired. Timbers salvaged from the original sloping floors and roof sarking have been repurposed for new floors and stairs, and throughout the apartments, original decorative elements — including ceiling roses — have been meticulously reinstated. In one apartment, the primary bedroom is anchored by a north-facing rose window, washing the space in shifting colour as the day unfolds. Elsewhere, an intricate stained-glass panel hovers above a dining space, a dramatic reminder of the building’s former life. By designing each home across three levels and organising them around a triple-height void, the apartments feel unexpectedly expansive — light-filled and spatially rich, in contrast to the heaviness often associated with ecclesiastical buildings. That vertical journey offers another rare privilege: the ability to move slowly upward through a space traditionally experienced only from below. As visitors ascend, heritage details come into intimate reach — ceiling roses revealed at close quarters, timber detailing you can reach out and touch. It’s an experience that invites reflection; a former place of congregation reimagined as one of inhabitation, without losing its sense of reverence. “This project is a testament to the importance of renovation and restoration, bringing new life to Auckland’s heritage. Walking past it now, there’s a sense of pride that we’ve been able to give this precious building a new purpose in the modern world.” Architecture: Gel Architects Build: JW Build Group