Innovative glass construction in monumental church
Small in size, but big in impact: the renovation of a meeting room (95m2) in the monumental Sint Janskerk. The national monument was completed in 1425. Over the centuries, the church has been transformed into a three-aisled hall church. In 1949 the small gathering space was added to the church as a wedding chapel. In 1988 the room, located in the northern choir, was given a roof, which closed it off from its sacral surroundings.
Project info
Status
Completed in April 2020
Opdrachtgevers
Stichting Instandhouding Grote of St. Janskerk Schiedam
Programma
Innovatieve glazen constructie in middeleeuwse kerk
Glass roof
To connect the meeting space with the church, Mei designed a new glass roof for the small chapel. The roof from 1988 has been replaced by a glass vault structure. The renewed meeting space now has become a light and spacious space, that visually connects to the church.
The new glass roof is placed on a slender steel structure upon the existing wooden walls from 1949. Only a few reversible adjustments are made to the monument, so the impact of the renovation is reduced to a minimum. The steel structure is finished with a bronze-colored perforated plate that is consistent with the color of the wooden structure. With some smart detailing, all necessary technology, like light, acoustics, and heating, are integrated in the space behind the perforated plate.