Oh My God! Academic Design Office (ADO) about the adaptive reuse of parish churches (OMG!)

This ADO approaches design not as an aim in itself but as a form of spatial agency that supports and strengthens
particular cultural, physical or social dynamics. Our goal is to tackle socio-cultural challenges through a hybrid
approach at the intersection of research, design and action. As a case in point, this studio will develop scenarios
regarding the future use of the large number of (Roman Catholic) parish churches that are currently being
withdrawn from service. The investigation of the socially and spatially structuring capacity of this religious
infrastructure will be done through ‘lab settings’ fostering real-life experiments and interaction with a large
variety of stakeholders. Apart from developing their creative capacity and research skills, students will thus be
stimulated to take a stance in this major societal issue and express their view through design. The studio will
work on the basis of ‘real life’ case studies; the aim is to develop a substantiated vision on the potential of each
case and maximize it through design. As output of this studio, we expect architectural designs of the highest
standard that reinforce the particular social and spatial dynamics that characterize each case.