Over a century old, the St. Francis of Assisi Church in Heerlen, in the south of the Netherlands, has not hosted a service since 2023. Now, it’s set for a striking transformation as architecture firms MVRDV and Zecc Architecten plan to turn the historic church into a public swimming pool, giving the vacant building a new lease on life.
Playfully nicknamed Holy Water, the project gives the church a new social purpose while still honoring its historic character as a national monument. The pool inside has an adjustable floor, so the former nave—the heart of the church—can be used for much more than swimming. When the floor is fully lowered, the central space is transformed into a full pool, and when the floor is raised, it creates a shallow layer of water that allows visitors to feel like they’re walking on water. The floor can also be raised the whole way, allowing the church to return to its original form.
Designed by local artisans, a new mosaic floor will cover both the pool area and the adjustable pool floor, echoing the church’s original colors, materials, and stained-glass windows. Meanwhile, the lighting takes inspiration from the church’s original lamps, with four rows of fixtures that also serve as subtle lane markers for swimmers. Visitors can even walk down the original church aisles to get to the changing rooms or grab a bite at the café.
If you’re wondering how the designers plan to keep the pool warm, the roof will be insulated from the outside to prevent heat loss. The glass walls surrounding the pool will also help protect the church’s stained glass and artwork from humidity, while providing a clear view of the pool.
“The vacancy rate of churches is increasing, so we need to come up with new, creative ideas for what we can do with these buildings,” says Winy Maas, founding partner of MVRDV. “Why not give these churches a social function again, as they used to have? A public swimming pool is ideally suited for this.”
Maas adds, “Imagine: swimming the backstroke with a view of a church vault and stained-glass windows. By covering the entire pool area with a small layer of water, you can also create a beautiful visual effect, allowing the church to return to its original form and appear even larger and more impressive through the reflection.”
The Holy Water project is part of a bigger push to revive Heerlen’s city center, alongside a new Roman museum and a revamped Royal-Rivoli cinema. Check out the plans for the impressive swimming pool below.
The St. Francis of Assisi Church in Heerlen, in the Netherlands, is set to be transformed into a public pool.
The project—known as Holy Water—is being led by architecture firms MVRDV and Zecc Architecten, who won a competition with their design.
The glass walls surrounding the pool will also help protect the church’s stained glass and artwork from humidity, while providing a clear view of the pool.
When the adjustable floor is raised, it creates a shallow layer of water that allows visitors to feel like they’re walking on water.
The floor can also be raised the whole way, allowing the church to return to its original form.
