The deconsecrated church, the new frontier of luxury residences
Living in a deconsecrated church and safeguarding old houses that are now in disuse
In the past, religious fervor was much more heated than it can be now and, consequently, many churches have been built that over time have been abandoned to their fate. In the Tuscan territory there are many churches, many of which have now fallen into disuse, which are slowly losing the architectural splendor that has characterized them over the centuries and it is the duty of the human being to take care in some way of all these buildings, testimony not only of a faith but also of a millenary art. Some architects have come up with a truly creative way to redevelop these majestic and monumental spaces or transform them into homes.
Living in a deconsecrated church may seem like a bizarre idea, but, on the contrary, it is a unique, creative and fascinating experience. Renovating a disused church is an incredibly creative way to redevelop areas that, otherwise, would face inevitable degradation but not only that, it also has infinite potential in terms of interior design.
In the portfolio of the Broker Immobiliare Exclusive Real Estate, among the various luxury properties and typical Tuscan farmhouses, you can also find housing solutions as described above.
Why live in a deconsecrated church?
Reworking a particular space such as that of a church is a fascinating challenge for any architect and, in general, for anyone with a passion for interior design. The result is always surprising. Many old churches have been transformed into apartments equipped with every comfort and ultra modern, in contrast but in perfect harmony with the ancient soul of the property, demonstrating the fact that even in Italy and especially in Tuscany the real estate market is becoming increasingly dynamic.
Speaking of architectural structures, usually the internal structure is left unchanged, re-adapting the volumes to its new housing function and re-adapting its style, which changes depending on who will live there. This is because anyone who buys a church has no intention of upsetting its soul but on the contrary wants to enhance its beauty. Usually the new inserts overlap very delicate pre-existing structures, and new and old must dialogue with each other without one overhanging the other.
The beauty of living in a church lies in keeping the huge central space intact, making the most of it and preserving the details that recall the sacred origins of the building, reworking them so that they adapt to the new housing function. It is a versatile environment that can be adapted to different styles.
The styles applicable to this environment are many and the fact that we are talking about very spacious environments gives the possibility to experiment, the large and very high windows create natural and soft lights and the decorations give a sophisticated and fascinating soul to the whole such as, for example the exposed wooden beams, the frescoed vaults, the columns that separate the rooms, the statues and the stained glass windows.
The staggered heights created by the altar is a beautiful starting point for creating raised living rooms, open kitchen with American islands or formal dining rooms that dominate the surrounding environment.
The clever division of spaces, with the use of mezzanines, glass partitions, which separate the rooms but leave the original structure intact is the strong point of this housing solution, as well as exploiting the pre-existing details to create suggestive areas, for example by obtaining a bathroom with high pointed windows that gives an atmosphere of tranquility and peace.
The importance of materials in the renovation
As always should happen in the case of restoration of a building with a certain historical value, especially with a deconsecrated Church given its sacred origins, it is essential to remain anchored as much as possible to the pre-existence as regards the use of material, for this reason it is gives the green light to the use of wood as the main material and to iron for the inserts, which could recall the industrial style. Even the use of glass goes well with the context, its transparency and discretion allow the pre-existing elements to remain at the center of attention, however, giving the whole a more modern taste
The atmosphere is undoubtedly suggestive and to all this we can add the considerable advantage of having practically perfect acoustics, it must be a pleasure to listen to music in such an environment!
In the same way, you can decide to live in a convent, the choice of which may derive from a religious or mystical vocation, or from the opportunity to purchase an additional housing solution out of the ordinary. In the second case, the opportunity is on Broker Immobiliare Exclusive Real Estate which, in its rich portfolio of luxury villas, typically Tuscan and rustic farmhouses, also presents housing solutions obtained in former convents. Even in the case of Convents and Monasteries the usual design rule applies, keeping the most characterizing inserts of the architectural structure and the placid atmosphere of the quiet monastic life, playing around with them with design combinations in line or in contrast.
