Denc-Studio from Ghent, a renowned firm specialising in sustainable construction, completed the conversion of St Joseph’s Church in Eeklo—located in a 1960s social housing estate—into an after-school childcare centre in 2020. Architect Bart Cobbaert: ‘We were fully committed to the brief – both in terms of the new programme and in terms of reversibility and circularity – although we knew from the outset that the stated ambitions set the bar high and that it would be a considerable challenge to transform a modernist, religious building into a contemporary play area for children.’

Together with the person responsible for childcare, the city council – spearheaded by city architect Filip De Pau – carried out a feasibility study, produced an initial sketch design and drew up a project definition with a view to appointing a designer. De Pau outlines four clear guiding principles in the brief: the interventions transforming the church into a childcare centre must be reversible; the architectural and spatial quality of the existing church building must be respected; the conversion must allow for shared use; and the project had to exceed the already ambitious sustainability targets set out in the Mayors’ Covenant (a 40 per cent reduction in CO₂ by 2020 instead of 2030).