Dutch studio Leijh, Kappelhof, Seckel, van den Dobbelsteen Architecten completed the God’s Loftstory project. The architects converted a historical Dutch church into a unique loft living space in Haarlo, a village in the province of Gelderland, The Netherlands. The former Dutch Reformed Evangelism Building in Haarlo has been transformed into a unique loft.
The only architectural additions are the mezzanine for the relaxation room ( couch, bed and bath ) and the multifunctional “Stairway to have fun” ( stairs, room divider, closet, build-in-kitchen, acoustic element and exhibition wall ). The materials that were used are pure, sober, functional and budgetary; concrete on the floor, the original wooden floorboards off the church as cladding for the “Stairway to have fun”, stainless steel kitchen elements, a hard glass partition to retain openness, white stucco ( for making the space light inside ) and strategically chosen red accents. The modern garden has large plastered planters, made by left-over-bricks . There is a herb garden, a vegetable garden, a flower garden and an orchard; a contemporary nod to the old monastery gardens. The outside shed with a porch is a 40ft container, integrated into the wooden fence and equipped with a green roof. By deepening the garden, a private garden is created yet still a view at the church is remained intact.
