Christus unser Friede

The Christus unser Friede church in Dortmund Oespel, an existing building from 1971, was designed by Dortmund architect Theo Schwill and last renovated in the 1990s. As a result, the building is now to be examined for possible conversion as part of the Catholic Church’s property strategy.

The design is a response to the increasing phenomenon of church shrinkage and the impending vacancy of churches, which is becoming ever more pressing due to the declining number of parishioners in Germany. Many church buildings stand empty or are no longer viable in their previous function. In order to prevent decay and desacralisation, the buildings need to be repurposed for the benefit of both the congregation and the wider public.

For this reason, the concept envisages adding a second level to the church in Dortmund. To this end, the church space will be moved upwards without losing its sacred effect. At the same time, the new church space will be designed in such a way that it is more strongly orientated towards the baptismal font in order to further emphasise the spiritual orientation. In addition, a lift will ensure accessibility and facilitate access to the upper floor for everyone.

The ground floor will have flexible rooms that can be used by the community and local residents. These can be used for yoga classes, club activities or other events, for example. A meeting point café with a terrace will ensure a more lively use of the building and offer the community a new social centre.

In addition, new windows will be installed in the joint pattern of the concrete slabs on the ground floor to provide more daylight.

Further measures may also follow in the future, such as the addition of a residential building to the ensemble of buildings, which could be suitable for elderly-friendly living, for example. It would also be conceivable to convert the parish hall into a canteen or multifunctional space to meet the new requirements.

The design for the church in Dortmund thus offers a sustainable solution that not only promotes the revitalisation of the building, but also prevents vacancies and makes the church a social and cultural centre for the entire community.