13th Century Church Converted Into A Bookstore - Holland

Merkx+Girod Architects' redesign of the former Dominican Church in Maastricht, Holland, is for all eyes to see. Merkx+Girod were approached by the Dutch booksellers Selexyz (think Barnes & Noble), who asked them to convert the thirteenth-century church into a modern bookstore. Their redesign made them the winner of the 2007 Dutch Interior Design Prize.

With only 750 square meters of available space, Merkx+Girod were asked to create 1,200 square meters of commercial area. Instead of creating several floors within, which would destroy the buildings unreplicable spacial quality, they built a monumental walk-in, three-story bookcase situated a-symmetrically inside the church. Climbing the "bookflat" rewards the customers with a close-up of ancient murals and stunning views, paying homage to the building's details rather than concealing them.

Visitors can also experience the ancient architecture from a whole new variety of angles, which symbolizes not just a functional rebirth, but a physical one as well.

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