Ankerkerk, Oosterzele — Repurposing as a Restoration Atelier
The Sint-Anscharsius Church on the Ankerwijk in Oosterzele is being given a new lease on life. The brick hall church, designed by architect A. Bressers and built in 1938, had already fallen out of liturgical use in recent years, yet remained an anchor for the neighbourhood. Since its purchase by restoration firm Lapis Arte bv, the church is in full transformation.
Construction is well underway. Work is currently focused on the church itself and the new office space within the church tower. At the same time, the adjacent plot has been acquired, allowing the complete masterplan to be realised in its entirety — including a green corridor as a shared outdoor space for both the neighbourhood and future users.
Atelier, office and meeting place
The generous nave of the church — tall, light-filled and open — is the ideal workspace for storing and restoring large historical objects. Within the church tower above the choir, new floors are being inserted to house a library, an open-plan office and two separate executive offices. The sacristies will serve as utility rooms. A fire-resistant wall separates the atelier from the office, while glazed partitions maintain the visual connection between the two.
At the front of the church — in the entrance porch and on the organ loft — a flexible reception space is being created for up to 80 people. This space will be available during the day for meetings and exhibitions, and will open to the neighbourhood after office hours: for the choir, the youth movement, workshops or community gatherings. The existing murals and altar will be preserved and integrated into the ambiance.
Outdoor atelier and green surroundings
Alongside the church, a walled outdoor zone will be created, featuring a covered workspace in a timber barn architecture with a translucent roof. This area will be used for material storage and high-pressure cleaning. The concrete wall will be covered with climbing plants, and a stainless steel gate will reflect the surrounding environment.
The asphalt car park will largely disappear. In collaboration with TAK Landscape Architects, the outdoor space will be transformed into a green village square with infiltration zones, an open stream channel and native planting. On the adjacent plot, a public green corridor will take shape — a covered kiosk for the youth movement, an outdoor classroom, a community meeting point — embedded in a natural landscape along the Hogemeersbeek stream.
Temporary and considerate
The approach is entirely reversible. Lapis Arte regards itself as a temporary steward of this building — for an average of 25 years. All interventions are considered, minimal and reversible. The repurposing is simultaneously an act of care for the building itself: by putting it to use, it is maintained and passed on to the next generation.
