De Smet Vermeulen architects . Tractebel
Sacred Heart Church had one single gate, in the axis of Sacred Heart Street. Everything that happened in the church ran along that axis, leaving the square on the long North side, and even the greenery and the presbytery siding the church to the South unconnected. All this ignoring was brought to an end by our plan. What was needed were transverse connections between the square, the church, the greenery and the presbytery. This opens the church not to one group and one use only, but to all groups and uses in the neighbourhood. Sacred Heart church sets out to win all hearts and becomes Trump of Hearts.
A redesign of the streets results in a square with no through car traffic and a weekly market. The little park between the church and the presbytery becomes public, is extended and hosts a new passage for bikes as well as a back entrance for the school. This creates a string of public spaces inviting encounters and activities. We open up the side facades of the church to both the square and the park. All entrances are situated on the square side, sheltered by a gallery. The park side then has a deep loggia in the sun: a good place to play or linger.
With one extra floor in the nave and, maybe later, two in the high choir, spaces with different characters are created inside the church. The spaces in the nave have now been built: a neighbourhood living room and a social restaurant. Above that sits a high festive hall with low, intimate alcoves under the vaults of the side aisle and, under the organ, a staircase leading directly into the square. The sacristies, side choirs and high choir are also available for use. A stairwell and elevator in the transept anticipates on future floors to be added in the high choir.
Inside, new wood structures engage in conversation with the neo-gothic architecture. Glazed partitions keep the size of the church tangible. Their insertion into the pointed arches is eased by plywood tracery. Mullions shaped like rounded pilasters support diamond-shaped floor cassettes referring to the cross vaults. They encase the capitals of the stone piers, situated just below floor height. There are different climate regimes, with the best-insulated rooms between the new floors. The variegated cement tile floors are preserved where they could and supplemented with new patterned tile floors. Residual cement tiles were kept aside and will be made available for refurbishings in the neighbourhood..
The presbytery was for some years now home to the non-profit association Pastorij, who had successfully resisted its disposal and now participated in the consultations on the reorganization of neighbourhood amenities. As a result, some of their activities were moved, creating space for municipal social workers. The presbytery now is a two-tenant building, with a new entrance on the long parkside façade, marked by colourful shutters, a dog door and a top-lit lobby used by both tenants. An insulation and fireproofing upgrade makes for a lasting future and rooms apt for appropriation.
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GHENT SINT AMANDSBERG Hearts Trump (2017- )
Client : SOGent
Programme : Reconversion Sacred Heart Square, Sacred Heart Church, presbytery and surroundings
Urban design: De Smet Vermeulen architects & Tractebel
Architecture church and presbytery: De Smet Vermeulen architects
Design public space: Tractebel
Restoration consultant: Juxta
Stability and plant consultant: Tractebel
Project architect church: Toon Vermeir
Project architect presbytery: Aaron Derie
Construction cost church first phase: € 3.530.000
Construction cost presbytery: € 835.000
Status: first phase church completed, presbytery completed
