Resurrecting Ruin

Resurrecting Ruin:

An analysis of secular intervention on the church and its effect on the attached values and meanings of sacred space.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Part II of the Architecture Tripos 2023.

Acknowledgements

With thanks to Beyza Celebi, my supervisor for her constant support, guidance, and feedback throughout this project.

Oliver Cooke and Livia Wang, my Directors of Studies for their ongoing guidance

Naomi Starkey for offering her time to interview.

Family and friends for their support and proofreading.

Word Count

Main text, notes, and appendices: 8532

Bibliography: 913

In the current era of growing secularisation of the Church of England, religious spaces are becoming increasingly vacant and are being reused for a variety of different purposes. One school of thought towards this trend opposes houses of worship being left to a state of ruin and instead acknowledges the repurposing of churches as an act of resurrection (Meladze & Uekita, 2020). A methodology of interview and analysis into the case study of The Spire House, formerly Christ Church, contributes to an overall argument that sacred spaces being repurposed for secular function is more valuable to society than leaving it for unprotected ruin. This dissertation outlines the values and meanings attached to religious sites which are then closely analysed to suggest how these may shift as a consequence of secular intervention strategies Whilst highlighting an array of different case studies and closely inspecting the Spire House, this dissertation offers insight into the wider context of how secular intervention of sacred space can be approached in a rising dawn of deconsecration.

List of Figures

Figure 1. Church closures between 1969-2019………………………………………………………...8

Data gathered from Church Commissioners’ report, 2020 (Sidoroinicz, 2020, p.3)

Figure 2. Comparison of the sustainability of different uses in church conversions…………………10

Data gathered from Church Commissioners’ report, 2020 (Sidoroinicz, 2020, p.6)

Figure 3. A church reprieved by a dramatic local campaign. Barracks Chapel in Warley, Essex……16

(Cited from Binney & Burman, 1977, pg.188)

Figure 4. The Spire House, Lancaster Gate [photograph]……………………………………………20

Hobern, M. (2023)

Figure 5. Christ Church, Lancaster Gate (date unknown)……………………………………………22

(Finding No. P131.1) Westminster Archive Centre, London, 2023

Figure 6. The buttresses of the Spire House, Lancaster Gate [photograph]………………………….24

Hobern, M. (2023)

Figure 7. Junction of Christ Church and the Spire House[photograph]…………………………....…26

Hobern, M. (2023)

Figure 8. First Floor Plan, Christ Church Site, Lancaster Gate (1981)……………………………….28

(Finding No. ACC0006/030/002) Westminster Archive Centre, London, 2023

Figure 9. Set of sections, Christ Church Site, Lancaster Gate (1981)………………………………..31

(Finding No. ACC0006/030/002) Westminster Archive Centre, London, 2023

1. Introduction: Sacred Space in a Secular Age

The Church of England is and has been experiencing decline in attendance over recent years, leaving a scattering of vacant churches across the country. It is stressed that we are not only facing a decline in belief and faith, but in redundancy and demolition of our churches (Binney & Burman, 1977). Notably, the capital city has witnessed the largest abundance of church closures which has resulted in new uses, mostly because of its high density in population and the demographic of the city. This dissertation will analyse the conversion of Christ Church into the Spire House, situated in Lancaster Gate, London, to argue that the tampering of religious structures affects the values and meanings attached to them. Simultaneously, the wider concerns of dealing with the abundance of vacant churches on a wider scale is questioned addressing whether their material, social and spiritual identity can be preserved.

Different intensities of architectural intervention and the complexities that come with defining these are outlined in the theory of John Ruskin and Viollet Le Duc which help to inform our understanding of intervention at the secular level. To then assess the impact on the sacred site, the current state of the church and its representation is discussed between commissioners’ reports, literature. and exhibitions.

From this, the investigation into the values attached to religious structures and how these influences secular intervention is explored through the literature of Visser, Clark, Binney and Burman and the poetry of Philip Larkin. How this affects the attached values and meanings of sacred space is analysed to challenge the literature and theory discussed.

Through a material, social, and spiritual understanding, this dissertation will argue that the values attached to sacred space are altered dramatically, especially in the case of the Spire House. The nineteenth century church, built in 1855 by architects F & H Francis (RIBA, 1937) was closed in 1977 and partly demolished leaving the spire and needle. The twentieth century replacement intervention (1983), by Covell Matthew Partnership architects (RIBA, 1937) contains twenty-three luxury flats that sit adjacent to the preserved spire and needle- highlighting a juxtaposition of the sacred and the mundane. Analysis of the Spire House will contribute to an argument stating that residential conversions

of churches can be a sustainable solution that does not necessarily result in the destruction of values or meanings attached to the church. In critique of existing literature, it will be argued that residential conversions can rather be recognised as a commemoration of the authentic intentions embedded in the material, social and spiritual values of the architecture in question. This dissertation will simultaneously offer insight into the broader challenges that come with church conversions and how the approach toward dealing with the abundance of vacant churches, on a larger scale, can be informed.

2.1 The Church in Context

The state of the church has changed drastically over the years and its future is grey (Binney & Burman, 1977). In 1975-1976, The Church of England was authorising the demolition of one church every nine days when just, a century before that new churches were being built at the rate of one a week. In Greater London alone, more than 141 churches and chapels have been destroyed since 1945 (Port, 1978). Today, The Church of England has approximately 16,000 churches across England (Sidoroinicz, 2020, p.3), of which each building constitutes an important feature of the national landscape, often providing stability and security for local and community identity. As a result of increasing secularisation and modernisation across Europe, The Church of England will witness their most historic churches being made redundant

The highest proportion of closures occurred between the 1970s and 1980s with 760 church buildings being forcibly closed across England (Sidoroinicz, 2020, p.3) and today one in five face closure by the end of the decade (Wynne- Jones & Miller, 2008). Overall, church closures between 1969 and 2019 reveal that, out of the approximate 1972 church closures, 57% were reused, 18% preserved through conservation trust and 25% demolished (Sidoroinicz, 2020, p.5).

Data gathered from Church Commissioners’ report, 2020 (Sidoroinicz, 2020, p.3)

Figure 1. Church closures between 1969-2019

This data in figure.1 finds that the most common use, by numerical value, is that of residential reuse. Conversely, cultural/ civic/ communities have lost more authorised uses than they have gained in the last century (Sidoroinicz, 2020, p.3). Despite this, it is important to acknowledge that reuse strategy for cultural or civic use is still respected, and its failure is mostly due to lack subsequent of funding rather than lack of intent or support at the outset of the intervention scheme. Where civic, cultural or community use was implemented, 122 involved local trusts and associations, 4 involved local authorities, 3 involved national charities, 2 involved companies and one involved secretary of state (Sidoroinicz, 2020, p.3). Alternative uses include educational buildings, offices or shops, sports facilities, museums, worship space for other faiths or in some cases, demolition. Cases of demolition, as the last remaining option, have declined over the years which reflect the impact of growing heritage considerations and the success of efforts to reuse religious vacant spaces (Sidoroinicz, 2020, p.16). Significant case studies to note in the educational sector include international studies such as the Boekhandel Selexyz Domincanen in Maastricht, Netherlands which is a Dominican church converted into a bookshop (Boparai, 2018). Additionally, the Royal London Museum Church Library in Whitechapel, London and The Garden Museum in Lambeth, which celebrates British gardens and its history, are some of the most successful conversions in London. An array of community and civic conversions are also present, including HAC Bow in Mile End, St James in West Hampstead and Cosway Street Christ Church which is a sports and community centre. At the commercial end: London’s popular Mercato Mayfair, previously St Mark’s Church, is a Grade 1 listed church deconsecrated in 1973, now a cafe and commercial market. Successful residential conversions include Haggerston St Augustine in London and Hampstead All Souls. However, as we move away from the Capital City, residential conversions are more vulnerable to losing investment as evident in the case of Eppleton All Saints, Durham, which led to demolition of the church and sale of land in 2012.

Residential use has, however generally, proved itself as the most durable alternative use based on its reliable funding from private investors, especially in London. In total, there are currently 175 church buildings that are used in residential use schemes, out of which, 133 buildings have only ever been in

the residential reuse category and the other 42 (Sidoroinicz, 2020, pg.6) have become residential retrofits after fulfilling a different use that had failed. This therefore demonstrates that residential use of religious structures is the most sustainable and realistic outcome, especially where there is a secondary or later use established (Sidoroinicz, 2020, pg.32). This outcome, if successful, will have also contributed to the local place making under secular regeneration efforts and wider social goals, also delivering on the five marks of mission (Sidoroinicz, 2020, pg.18). The five marks of mission are desired deliverables from the Church of England: teach, tell, tend, transform and treasure (Richards, 2017).

Data gathered from Church Commissioners report, 2020 (Sidoroinicz, 2020, p.6)

Figure 2. Comparison of the sustainability of different uses (in church conversions)

It must be noted that the Church of England is the only organisation systematically attempting to protect its churches from unwarranted demolition once no longer wanted by their worshipping communities (Binney & Burman, 1977) making, the role of church authorities significant in the practical efforts of conservation and preservation. Historic England outline the codes of practice within different prominent faiths in the country, under The Ecclesiastical Exemption Order 2010 (Historic England, 2023). Under this order, approval must be obtained from the Cathedral’s Fabric Commission for England to determine the demolition or permanent alteration of the fabric of any part of a church or its ancillary building. In the case of closing places of worship, church commissioners must oversee the sale of a Church of England Parish Church (Historic England, 2023), whereas other Christian denominations simply dispose of their buildings by advertising through estate agencies for example.

The sensitivity of these sites is therefore carefully protected under laws and heritage policies that can prevent intervention, undoubtedly revealing the high values that are place on them This dissertation investigates what these attached values are, why they exist, and how they may shift when the church is altered for secular use.

2.2 Definitions of Intervention

These different alterations are evident in the variety of schemes of restoration, conservation, preservation, and adaptive reuse to convert what were once sacred spaces, into secular functional space. Barthes suggests that the meaning of a building lies not in its origins but in its destination (Barthes, 1977) illustrating that the meaning of a building and its creation does not end when it is built, rather it is just the beginning as it alters and changes throughout different users. The different strategies of intervention are further defined in Fred Scott’s Altering Architecture, noting that all buildings have “three possible fates” (Scott, 2007, pg.1)- to remain unchanged, to be altered, or to be demolished

According to functionalist views, the building is to either simply fulfil a purpose or be demolished (Scott, 2007, pg.1). Alteration is acknowledged as the outcome of interaction (Scott, 2007, pg.1) and is to offer an alternative, or the mediation, to preservation and demolition through inhabitation or occupation. Olimpia Niglio defines architectural preservation as keeping the building as close to its original state as possible through maintenance works, similarly, conservation is defined as a way of preserving the current state of the building, adding nothing that would change that state (Niglio, 2014). Conversely, whilst alterations such as reconstruction are defined as changing a historic building to meet modern demands while staying in keeping with historical character and values, reconstruction is the recreation of a building through interpretive means (Niglio, 2014). Restoration can be loosely characterised by the reconstruction of parts of the building that have fallen into decay, as imitations of the original.

The practice of restoration in architecture has been torn between two paths (Scott, 2007, pg.1). In his Seven Lamps of Architecture, John Ruskin notes that restoration is “the worst destruction a building can suffer” (Ruskin, 2000, pg.254) and is a “lie from beginning to end” (Ruskin, 2000, pg.254) as it resembles a false description of the destruction by its “remnants that cannot be gathered” (Ruskin, 2000, pg.254). Ruskin proceeds to state that “it is impossible, as impossible to raise the dead, to restore anything that has ever been great or beautiful in architecture” (Ruskin, 2000, pg.252) therefore inferring

that restoring a building to a previous state is impossible. In his sixth chapter, Lamp of memory, architecture is described as made to be historical and preserved as such, for dwellings to be built with “care, and patience, and fondness, and diligent completion” (Ruskin, 2000, pg.252). Ruskin condemns capitalism and instead promotes a utopian socialism, suggesting that architectural practice should follow the ideal of the Arts and Crafts movement, where craftsmanship yields a product of true care and quality. In the suggestion that if all architecture was to be made with care, built to last, and maintained throughout time. then there would be no need for restoration or any false depiction that strays far from architectural truth. This therefore illustrates a disdain towards restoration; however, Ruskin does not deter from acknowledging the importance of history and memory in heritage architecture as it represents a materiality of time. He stresses that the greatest glory is in its age, rather than its stones or gold. Marks of age and time contribute to the beauty within architectural heritage, however restoring to what they one may have been is impossible and deceitful. In summary, Ruskin views that buildings, whether civic or domestic, should be built with care with intention to last for future ages and should be preserved before they reach a state of ruin. In this case, restoration will be avoided at all costs as it allows the destruction of historical authenticity of buildings and their material.

William Morris, a keen student under the master of Ruskin, announced an agency for the protection of heritage sites as he was equally alarmed by the destructive restoration of ancient buildings occurring in Victorian England (William Morris Society, 2023), pleading for a “protection in the place of restoration” (William Morris Society, 2023). Together, Ruskin and Morris founded the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) which promoted new methods for architectural conservation, stressing the importance of preserving the historical, the picturesque, the artistic and antique values. Whilst the collaborative views of Morris and Ruskin, that introduce the concept that restorative architecture is destructive, continue to have great influence today (Niglio, 2014), it is important to acknowledge the progression of modern-day pressure to restore and maintain structures rather than neglecting them

In strong opposition to Ruskin and Morris, Viollet Le Duc wrote that “to restore a building is not to preserve it, to repair, or to rebuild it; it is to reinstate it in a condition of completeness which could never have existed at any given time” (Renauld, 2021). Ruskin viewed that the restoration employed by Le Duc is deception and a false description of architecture, rather the age of construction is crucially significant as an aspect in its preservation maintenance (Renauld, 2021). The differences between John Ruskin and Viollet Le Duc are even evident in their architectural drawings and sketches, Ruskin’s drawings often appear incomplete and fragmented (Grisoni, 2022, pg.12) with partial views that express a whole. In contrast, Le Duc’s illustrations are a display of completion, perfection, and taxonomy (Grisoni, 2022, pg.12).

The contradictions between key theorists such as John Ruskin, Viollet Le Duc and William Morris expose the complexities of architectural intervention. Whilst Ruskin and Morris violently oppose restoration and question the role of the architect in destroying authenticity, Le Duc promotes and asserts the authority of the architect over the original architecture in question. When questioning religious heritage sites in a secular age, it is important to first appreciate the different foundational theories on intervention at a secular level, and the complex relationships that this entails alone. Then we can begin to understand how these might inform the intervention on a sacred site through a material, social and spiritual understanding.

2.3 The Value and Meaning attached to the Church

As a sacred site, the church is subject to deep feelings and attachment (Binney & Burman, 1977). An early representation of the physical, social, and spiritual values attached to the church is evident in the work of Durandus (1220) (Durandus & Sotillos, 2007), who offers the meanings of the Western Church and its symbolism in the existence of sacred space. More recently, a display of threatened churches around London conclude that the future of our churches is grey in the exhibition Change and Decay: The Future of Our Churches (1975), held at The Victoria and Albert Museum (Port, 1978). The exhibition was an early demonstration of the unstable future of Churches in London and highlighted how churches should be valued as the symbols of identity and community they are, rather than targets to inevitable vandalism after closure. Although this source is limited in the sense it dates back to the 1970s, it is interesting to assess similar values being discussed in more recent literature. The exhibition was a culmination of the writings from Marcus Binney and Peter Burman in their Churches and Chapels: Who cares? and Change and Decay. This set of surveys introduced the variety of values and meanings attached to the church and their significance when considering their conversionssummarising that the church is an essential oasis for the community (Binney & Burman, 1977). Since the Middle Ages, the church has invariably been the largest building in the town or village, and its the nave would usually serve as the village hall (Binney & Burman, 1977, pg. 116) providing a space for most communal purposes.

The value attached to churches can therefore be examined based on their connections to the community and its meaning is obtained through emotional connections and engagement by individuals as part of a collective experience (Binney & Burman, 1977, pg. 116). Peter Van Hess argues that the church provides fulfilment to a community in Spirituality and Secularity. So much so, that one Roman Catholic Priest from Roehampton states it is “one of the greatest mistakes to destroy well rooted communities in inner cities and create heartless housing estates which have little chance of becoming real communities”

(Binney & Burman, 1977, pg. 173). Binney and Burman proceed to support this and illustrate that “every church demolished for housing clearance is a tombstone to a shattered and dismembered

community” (Binney & Burman, 1977, pg.169). Strong feelings can therefore be aroused by the conversion of churches into residential use (Binney & Burman, 1977, pg.198), as local communities find it offensive when the parish church becomes exclusive property of the individual. The sanctity of the site, and the meanings it holds to surrounding communities, receive perceptions of violence onto the church once adapted for secular, privatised, use. The image below, as exhibited in The Future of our Churches (1975), is a representation of the vulnerable Barracks Chapel in Warley, Essex One former councillor announced, “I will do anything in my power to stop this priceless building going” (Binney & Burman, 1977, pg.188), highlighting the strong reactions brought about by the news of church alterations. This image further reveals that the particular problem with church buildings is the cloak of secrecy which often surrounds all deliberations about their future, even though they are very much public buildings.

Figure 3. A church reprieved by a dramatic local campaign. Barracks Chapel in Warley, Essex (Cited from Binney & Burman, 1977, pg.188)

Jennifer Clark illustrates that church values are based on the individual and collective memory, as a result of them participating significantly at a social and communal level, in stating “religious, congregational, individual and community memories are embodied in church buildings” (Clark, 2007).

It is observed that the religious monument is a reminder of the hundreds or thousands of people who have worshipped in the exact building (Binney & Burman, 1977), this collective memory and commemoration of a community therefore accounts for the attached values to the site of sacred sensitivity. It is similarly discussed, in Margaret Visser’s Geometry of Love, that the church reminds us of what we have known and thus contributes to our own values and emotional attachments to sacred sites. Visser elaborates that the church constitutes a collective memory of spiritual insight, where the building is a recognition in stone and wood of spiritual awakenings (Visser, 2015) and is usually the most famous, the strongest, the most beautiful building any town has to offer (Visser, 2015). The church’s main purpose is to call to mind and to make people remember (Visser, 2015), a cause of selfreflection. Thus, meaning is intentional as the building has been made to communicate transcendent messages and experiences to the people that inhabit it, where the building is speaking of things beyond itself (Visser, 2015).

Self-reflection and transcendence are intimately described in Philip Larkin’s Church Going (1954):

When churches fall completely out of use

What we shall turn them into, if we shall keep A few cathedrals chronically on show, Their parchment, plate, and pyx in locked cases

And let the rest rent-free to rain and sheep.

Shall we avoid them as unlucky places?

(...)

But superstition, like belief, must die,

And what remains when disbelief has gone?

Grass, weedy pavement, brambles, buttress, sky,

A shape less recognizable each week, A purpose more obscure. I wonder who

Will be the last, the very last, to seek This place for what it was; one of the crew

(...)

And death, and thoughts of these— for whom was built

This special shell? For, though I’ve no idea

What this accoutred frowsty barn is worth, It pleases me to stand in silence here; Church Going (1954) effectively summarises the issues that this dissertation will bring to light, concerning what the meaning of the church may represent in a time where spirituality is in decline and may leave no trace behind. Although this poem is not inherently religious, as he states in an interview with Ian Hamilton (Hamilton & Larkin, 2001), it is important to note that Larkin nonetheless is affected by the atmosphere of the church throughout his exploration. Larkin illustrates his view that spiritual superstitions will fade, and churches will fall into a state of ruin, where all that will remain is “Grass, weedy pavement, brambles, buttress, sky” (Larkin, 1954). The crumbling remains that are depicted reign true for both religiosity and the architectural structure in a secular era. Larkin signifies the church and refers to it as a “special shell” rather than just any other building, or an empty shell, highlighting the spiritual hope of generations that one building can represent. In its form, the building carries religious purpose, personal histories, and heritage of its surrounding community, sustaining congregational and communal memory (Clark, 2007). This helps to illustrate the meaning and values we may place on churches as the building has both purpose to accommodate a congregation and has an instructive purpose to serve the memorial expression of Christian thought and practice (Clark, 2007).

This poem can therefore suggest a demonstration of our attached values to churches and their efforts to sustain community congregations as well as spiritual memory.

Although residential conversions clearly spark controversy within the community, this dissertation criticises the view that the Spire House is a destruction of the church and its original values. The residential development, in conjunction with the preservation of the spire structure, contributes to a sensitive and thoughtful intervention that commemorates the original values of the church, by challenging the extent to which we can intervene on sacred space.

3.1

This third chapter will focus on three themes namely the material, the social and the spiritual to explore and analyse the residential conversion of Christ Church into the Spire House. The material understanding of the Spire House will contain analysis of the physical alterations and how they affect the values attached to the once sacred site. Christ Church was built in 1855 by architects F & H Francis (Bolton & Croot, 1989) and was dictated by the shared values and demands of ritual, symbolism and architectural expediency (Anderson, 1955, pg.35), structured in an asymmetrical gothic composition

3. Case Study: The Spire House

Figure 4. Hobern, M. (2023) The Spire House, Lancaster Gate [photograph]

The Material

with a needle spire. When dry rot was discovered in the roof, the decision was made with no retaliation from its dwindling congregation to demolish part of the site and prepare for redevelopment. The last service in the church was on Sunday 6th March 1977 and demolition began shortly after on 15th August of the same year (Bolton & Croot, 1989). The replacement as we see today, Spire House, was built as a luxury residential development scheme in 1983 (Bolton & Croot, 1989) and contrasts dramatically with the stuccoed Victorian terraces that surround the site. The building is separated into three private entities: the modern flats, the tower and spire containing the main entrance lobby and the garden enclosure to the front of the property (Eastern Pyramid Group Corporation v Spire House, 2021).

A complex intervention strategy is taking place at The Spire House as a result of the existence of the multitude of spaces, portraying a vulnerability to the destruction of symbolic values that were originally attached to the sacred site. On the one hand, there is demolition and replacement with 23 residential flats, and on the other there is careful conservation and efforts of restoration to the historic spire and tower (Eastern Pyramid Group Corporation v Spire House 2021). Preservation of the tower and spire was an intentional architectural decision, signifying the values we may attach to significant volumes in ecclesiastical architecture. In December 2021 it was concluded that the “spire and tower required urgent attention and remedial action” (Eastern Pyramid Group Corporation v Spire House, 2021) and restorative work on the structure commenced. In reference to the work of John Ruskin, this restoration represents a “lie from beginning to end” (Ruskin, 2000), and instead should have originally been built with care. These efforts of restoration may be argued as more destructive to the building when compared to that of the seemingly more abrasive intervention that replaces the demolished site of the nave. Therefore, the conversation occurring today between the tower and the residential development can be appreciated as a complex representation of the different intensities of intervention that can take place on one site. This can convey the wider challenges that occur when church authorities are no longer assigned to the church building, yet still feel a responsibility to preserve the physical identity of the church for the benefit of the local place, community, and individual. When investigated within the Spire House, it can be suggested that the physical values assigned to the original church are altered at the expense of the Spire House development.

“And what remains when disbelief has gone?

Grass,

(Larkin,

The Spire House nods to a commemorative application of gothic architectural features that arguably contribute to the communication of the original values of the church. Both physical and moral properties

Figure 5. Christ Church, Lancaster Gate, and War Memorial (date unknown) P131.1 Westminster Archive Centre, London

weedy pavement, brambles, buttress, sky,”

1954)

of the gothic were ascribed to the church building in the aforementioned period of intense church construction in the 19th Century. Built in 1855, Christ Church was designed in the Gothic Revival style to follow suit with popular trends of the Victorian restoration era at the time (Betjeman, 1996). Pugin, an influential theorist at the time, promoted the use of Gothic architectural styles as the ideal for architecture of the Christian faith (Brine, 1991). The (now demolished) nave of Christ Church featured a grandiose stained-glass window that welcomed the visitor on approach to the church, which now is a monotonous facade of rectilinear glazing interrupted by concrete flying buttresses and slabs. For a structure that once welcomed the community that surrounded it, the concrete facade now becomes a defensive block of exclusivity and privacy. This shift in values attached to the church is reflected in the public perception that the “Spire House is an architectural tragedy. A brutalist attempt to fit with the surrounding buildings only adds to the sense of what was and what is lost” (C. Peter, 2022). Whilst this review is critical of the replacement intervention, it can be appreciated as commemorative rather than destructive of values. The intervention of concrete buttresses that frame the residential development further exemplify the commemoration of the original material values of the church. What remain and reflect the original features of the church are “brambles, buttress, sky” that Larkin describes (Larkin, 1954). The architectural references to the original gothic structure contribute to this memory and rather than this case being thoughtless and invasive, it is instead to be considered as thought provoking and intentional to a memorial of sacred architecture.

A similar visual logic is applied in the application and control of light in the residential development to reveal a memory to the once sacred site. In traditional ecclesiastical architecture, windows and tall structures communicate the religious edifice receiving more light, which “expel wind and rain but allow for the transmittance of sunlight into the hearts of the faithful” (Anderson, 1955, pg.36). This is evident in the use of large, glazed panels in the residential block and is heightened by the use of skylights on the pitched roof, connecting to those traditional ecclesiastical architectural values of receiving light in what Margaret Visser refers to as the connection with the transcendent (Visser, 2015, pg.261). This can be criticised, however, by the aspect of privatisation in this specific church conversion. The main values that Visser highlights was in regard to the benefit of the communal appreciation and collective celebration of understanding the mystery of faith together (Visser, 2015, pg.261). In the residential conversion that we see today, these roof skylights are only visible to the owners of the private accommodation on the top floor, restricting access to others. This denies values that were originally set out by the church. Whilst the downfalls of physical alterations in church conversions are appreciated, it is equally important to recognise the occasional nod to ecclesiastical architecture in the Spire House which reflect an intentional reference to the authenticity of the values of the sacred site.

Figure 6. Hobern, M. (2023) “brambles, buttress, sky” Spire House, Lancaster Gate [photograph]

Another way in which we attach values to religious structures is in their material language, through honesty in the material of the church and its structure (Brine, 1991). The original values of the church are underpinned by the truth and respect for the materials used within the church and for the liturgy, prescribing natural stones and precious metals (O'Connell, 1955, pg.23). Scruton argues that Stone is used commonly in religious architecture as it symbolises permanence and a presence of eternity (Clausén, 2016), that this represents not just the living, but also the dead and unborn. In the original structure, stone was used to construct the church and is still evident in the tower and spire, in juxtaposition with the prefabricated concrete elements of the residential development. This relationship clearly indicates how the material choices challenge the traditional values attached to the church. Although concrete can also convey permanence and longevity in architecture, its loud application results in the destruction of traditional values attached to the religious setting. As a result, the values that we attach to the church and its materiality are now conflicted with the brutalist translation of concrete slabs and flying buttresses. Upon closer inspection, it may be conversely argued that the brown brick and tile combination contribute to a fusing of new and old architectural structure. Now, the residential intervention appears less aggressive, as the colour palette begins to blend more comfortably. Therefore, the materiality of The Spire House, as a cohesive element, participates in the efforts to uphold the original intentions for Christ Church’s architecture.

In summary, the physical adaptations to The Spire House reveal the challenges that arise within the shift in values attached to the religious setting. In this study, the meaning of material, volumetric value and gothic commemoration are outlined as the main factors which contribute to the shift in these values. Despite initially appearing abrupt, the visitor can soon notice the thoughtful intentions behind the intervention, supporting the case that residential conversions of churches are successful when the surrounding history and community are memorialised. This further conveys the wider issues of church conversions and how their physical alterations are judged against the former church structure. This analysis can inform the future secular intervention and the reception of residential church conversions.

Figure 7. Hobern, M. (2023) Junction of Christ Church and the Spire House[photograph]

3.2 The Social

The Spire House residential conversion impacts the values of the community. When considering the social setting, we begin to investigate what the role of the church is to a community and how its functional changes are responsible for affecting the attached values and meanings. The church is originally valued as a sacred building dedicated to divine worship, to be used by the faithful for public exercise of divine worship (O'Connell, 1955, pg.7). From a liturgical point of view, the church is used primarily for the celebration of the sacred liturgy (O'Connell, 1955, pg.7), for the public worship of the church’s members. On the one hand, by privatising a sacred site, the original ‘owners’ of the site are denied access to a space made intentionally for the community. In an interview with Naomi Starkey, ministry area leader for the Church of England, it is revealed that the church plays an intrinsic part in the life of the community and surrounding social setting. However, it can be conversely suggested that the Spire House does not neglect the original intentions set out in the established role of the church, but rather the replacement of the nave into residential space can be identified as a commemoration of its original role- to house and to protect. This chapter outlines what the Spire House offers, and potentially denies, to the social values of a community as a private residential conversion.

The Spire House denies the community access to a once open space, therefore hindering any potential benefit that the surrounding society can obtain from the church conversion. Binney and Burman note that the church should uphold values of the community and therefore plays a crucial role in the traditional activities of a parish hall, to signify the way in which a church can play a vigorous and dynamic role in the life of a village or town (Binney & Burman, 1977). The residential conversion of the Spire House contests this theory in privatising the land and replacing the sacred site with a new exclusive territory. The original values of communal gathering and common faithful practice are now destroyed for the profit of the private investor(s), thus revealing the impacts of privatising church land. One of the most significant outcomes of this is the shift in values from qualitative social values to quantitative assessments. The current valuation (April 2023) for Flat 22, Spire House is £3,852,000 and has risen by £3,267,000 since its first recorded sale in 1995 (Varbes, 2023). These valuations for the

flats that now sit within the old nave of the church are astronomically high, which is unsurprising given its central London location, however, they undeniably highlight the economic incentives that drove the conversion of the Spire House. Its once vigorous, and dynamic role in the centre of Lancaster Gate (Binney & Burman, 1977) is now neglected and the private inhabitants are prioritised rather than the community and the original values that Binney and Burman suggest should be upheld (Binney & Burman, 1977).

(Finding

ACC0006/030/002)

Churches contribute to our heritage and fabric based on the emotional and sentimental attachment within members of the community and their shared memory and therefore their conversions alter these attachments. Jennifer Clark maintains that the attachment we draw to churches is dependent on a collective understanding from the community in which it sits. In an interview with Naomi Starkey, Ministry area leader within the Church of England, it was gathered that the church is a building that

Figure 8. First Floor Plan, Christ Church Site, Lancaster Gate (1981)

No.

Westminster Archive Centre, London

serves community function and allows access to a collective memory as “these buildings are special whether or not you believe in anything” (Hobern & Starkey, 2023). This comment can conversely reveal that even if there is no religious community to enjoy the public space, the building itself is special and has the potential to tell a story. Starkey has seven church buildings under her authority throughout Anglesey, Wales and therefore expresses that “the use of church buildings is something (she) thinks about a lot” (Hobern & Starkey, 2023). With dwindling congregation sizes, only two out of seven having regular Sunday services, Starkey proposes that although the churches may not be used for regular worship, they should still be open for constant access, for as many people as possible. The church represents a main purpose of providing a “space for sanctuary, meditation, and stillness” (Hobern & Starkey, 2023). Whereas churches, once “closed and sold, they are gone forever” (Hobern & Starkey, 2023) and when out of the church authorities' hands, the congregation and community have very little say on how the structure is interrupted on and what it will now represent in the landscape. Intervention at different scales instigates anger and upset within the associated community. Starkey reflects, the view that “church buildings are generally thought of as things that shouldn't change” is a popular one and informs us that when religious structures are tampered with, at any level of intervention, the community will always have something to say. The fear of what will also be lost, is the historical value to the community and its ancestors, as communities have deep rooted connections to these places through generations, steeped in family history. When passed over as privately owned space, the community is denied access to their collective memory space, which Starkey suggests is what the church represents. Therefore, the values of the church are upheld when it fulfils the needs of the community, in contrast to severing a part of the area's history and collective identity for private investment. This therefore highlights the downfall of residential conversions in the loss of their collective memories and community identity. However, the reality of secularisation is represented in this neglect of social values and commitment to the community, evident in the Spire House. It can be argued that the lack of support from the community when it was needed most has resulted in redundancy of the building in its original form and inevitable privatisation of the site. The Diocese of Oxford notes “no bishop or committee makes a church

redundant (...) It is the people who make the church redundant” (Binney & Burman, 1977, pg.168).

Therefore, whilst the community is valued as the core member to the church and its social sustainability, it cannot be ignored that it is the community who are also partially responsible for the deconsecration, demolition and residential replacement of this church.

Despite acknowledging the neglect for the social values that the Spire House demonstrates and its responsibility falling on the community itself, it can also be appreciated that the residential conversion of the nave has a deeper commemoration to the original values and meanings embedded in the church. Margaret Visser notes the significance and symbolism of the nave to the social value to the church (Visser, 2015). By referring to the Latin origins of nave, translated to ‘ship’, Biblical ties to the story of Noah’s Ark where the ship was a house for protection can be appreciated. The nave of a church functions as the house for the laity, reserved for the faithful, and situated between the narthex, the fallen world, and the sanctuary, heaven where the priest commands the service in the church. What the site inhabits now is not so different as it still serves to house and protect members of the community, providing a place between the fallen world and the heavenly. Therefore, it can be argued that the spire house today still commemorates these intrinsic values for the community, in its Biblical anecdote referencing protection and housing for the community, rather than the outright destruction of the values of the church.

(Finding No. ACC0006/030/002)

In summary, the Spire House arguably denies the surrounding community access to the once public, sacred site, whose primary function was to host worship on the congregational scale. In the privatisation of the site, the attached values and meanings of the church are replaced from qualitative understanding to quantitative assessments that result in the further detachment of social values to the church. Although the neglect of social values cannot be dismissed, it is also significant to appreciate the reality of secularisation as the product of a “dismembered community” (Binney & Burman, 1977, pg.169) and their faith. As a result, the social values once attached to this church have been affected in the residential conversion that is the Spire House. In representing the wider issues of tampering with sensitive sacred space, one successful response is exhibited in this study that commemorates the original social values of the church through the functional alterations of the nave in housing the residential development.

Figure 9. Set of sections, Christ Church Site, Lancaster Gate (1981)

Westminster Archive Centre, London

3.3 The Spiritual

It is worth highlighting the spiritual significance of the site and how this is interfered with in the Spire House. A church is intrinsically sacred (O'Connell, 1955, pg.3) as it houses the blessed sacrament as it is permanently and exclusively set aside for this purpose (O'Connell, 1955, pg.3), therefore meriting its own atmosphere of holy, hieratic, mystical, and inspiring (O'Connell, 1955, pg.8). This chapter will question what happens when the church building and its sacred qualities are then transformed into a secular use building. The alterations of the spiritual values in the Spire House and how the co-existence of the sacred and the mundane will be analysed.

The spirituality of the site refers to the values of faith and transcendence attached to the church. Margaret Visser connects the meaning of the church and its transcendence in stating that the church building is intentionally communicating something larger than us, beyond our reach (Visser, 2015). Its conformity with the cosmic pattern of the sun and its movement across the sky (Visser, 2015) express time in terms of space, which is a church’s way of preparing the visitor and to point to the transcendent. We can therefore acknowledge the inherent spiritual values and meanings attached to what remains of the church at the Spire House. The spiritual value embedded within this site cannot be dismissed, and its residential conversion arguably denies the community a connection to the transcendent. This, in combination with the defensive architecture that reveal an exclusivity to the building, contributes to the original values of the church being tampered with and impacting both the community and the individual, on a spiritual level. The sanctity of the site, and its attached values and meanings to those that surround it, attract specific offence when the function of space is altered to suit residential needs. For example, “where the sacred mystery of baptism has been practised for generations now becomes someone’s chic living room”(Binney & Burman, 1977, pg.198) or there is “stained glass in the kitchen window” (Binney & Burman, 1977, pg.198), it sits uncomfortably. This level of offence has been the focal point of numerous campaigns of activism, for example from the Norfolk churches and the Friends of the Friendless Churches (Binney & Burman, 1977, pg.198), whose views on residential conversions of churches are not so indifferent to that of demolition. Not only should the church provide an oasis

(Binney & Burman, 1977) for the community, but also for the individual in developing their understanding on the mystery of their faith (Visser, 2015). Despite the church falling under deconsecration, partial demolition, and new construction, it can be argued that the Spire House could have utilised a more sensitive approach with connections to the spiritual value and meaning in mind.

It can be suggested that the introduction of residential architecture to the sacred site constitutes a complex relationship between the sacred and the mundane, bringing spirituality into the lives of the inhabitants on a daily basis- where they would not have been connected to such otherwise. Built holy space is evident here and can be referred to as ‘thin place’, referring to a thin veil between the mundane and the spiritual. Eric Weiner notes that these are the places in the world where the walls are weak (Burkeman, 2014) and the boundary between this world and the other is porous. The meaning of the church, therefore, serves not only functional space for worship or congregation, but also hosts phenomenological experiences of deep spirituality. This therefore supports the argument that the Spire House does not entirely destroy the spiritual values and meanings attached to the once sacred site, but instead introduces the inhabitant to a life of spirituality in the everyday. This unity of the spiritual and the mundane, however, is criticised as sacred architecture “must not be equated with the profane” (O'Connell, 1955, pg.41) and the church should differ from the secular building. Davies notes that the separation of the sacred and the secular is crucial to their integrity (Graham & Davies, 1968, pg.214) and uniting the two brings both confusion and disaster. It is true to say that the Spire House evokes emotions of confusion, in the blending of spiritual and brutalist residential architecture, however, the relative expression of disaster can be challenged. Whilst there is a complicated relationship between the sacred and the mundane here, it is still one that maintains a memory of the spirituality that once existed on the site and further introduces a spiritual transcendence to the lives of the everyday user- the inhabitant.

“for whom was built

This special shell? For, though I’ve no idea

What this accoutred frowsty barn is worth,

It pleases me to stand in silence here;”

(Larkin, 1954)

A recognition of spirituality is further expressed in Philip Larkin’s Church Going (1977) which effectively highlights the value of the church to the secular audience. As previously discussed, this is a poem that questions the meaning of the church and what it may represent in a secular society, where the author uses a lyric model of poetry in an attempt to express the inexpressible- spirituality. Larkin cannot deny his attraction to churches and accepts his yearning to understand their transcendental qualities. It can be appreciated from this poem, and Starkey’s ponderings, that people have an inexplicable attachment to churches, whether faithful or not, and their spiritual values connect the individual to a community and beyond. The hint of mystery that Visser refers to as the constitution of spiritualty in mirrored as Larkin stands “in silence”, further establishing the spiritual qualities of the church building and its atmosphere that separate it from any other. It is through this understanding that we can appreciate the spiritual value placed on the building and its commemorative value transferred to the residential conversion of the Spire House.

The Spire House now represents a new set of values for ecclesiastical architecture in a future secular era. These values are influenced and underpinned by the spiritual meanings attached to the church and its original intention, set out by both communal and individual memory. The loss of spiritual value in this study represents a wider issue concerned with church conversions, on a larger scale. Whilst the spirituality of the site is denied to the user as a result of privatisation in the residential conversion it is equally important to appreciate the opportunity to experience spirituality in the mundane.

4. Conclusion: Sacred Space in a Secular Age

In conclusion, the abundance of vacant churches and their conversions have resulted in the shift of material, social and spiritual values attached to the church. The sensitivity of the sacred site is detected and identified as a complex problem. Through a broad understanding of the different types of intervention on religious structures, and a closer inspection of the case study analysis of the Spire House, it can be concluded that the residential conversions of churches can offer a sustainable solution that does not necessarily result in the destruction of the values or meanings attached to the church. Residential conversions therefore have the potential to commemorate the authentic intentions embedded in the material, social and spiritual values of the original religious architecture in question.

The complex nature of architectural intervention and their reception can be acknowledged through the theory of architectural theorists Scott, Ruskin, Le Duc and Niglio. It can be further observed that the values attached to religious sites stress the social assets they boast for the community, as reflected in the literature of Clark, Visser, Binney and Burman. These findings reveal that any intervention on the church is best received when it concerns the benefit of the public, rather than the private, and does not violently interfere with the architectural integrity of the sacred site. However, the reality of repurposing church buildings to suit secularisation reveals that public concerned functions, such as civic, cultural or community are not always the most sustainable solution. This dissertation therefore argues, against popular theory on the topic, that residential conversions should rather be recognised as an opportunity to commemorate the architecture of the sacred, in a time of dwindling faith and rise of secularisation. This theory supports the desired deliverables from the church of England, which are to teach, tell, tend, transform and treasure (Richards, 2017). After review of relevant literature regarding the context of the church, definitions of intervention, and the values attached to the church, we can acknowledge the failure to showcase the benefits of residential conversion of sacred buildings. This investigation reveals the potential to commemorate the original intentions of the church, to benefit both the communal and individual in a material, social and spiritual analysis of the Spire House.

Analysis into the Spire House has highlighted that the conversion of churches into residential developments come with both benefits and downfalls. This dissertation has explored both the positive and negative considerations of this conversion in its effects on the attached values and meanings to the church. Even though qualitative measures such as spirituality, material and social value cannot be objectively measured, this dissertation attempts to discuss these three themes in relation to the Spire House The benefits of residential development are shown in practise where they could not have been predicted in theory.

In a material understanding, the physical characteristics of The Spire House and its conversion challenge the values attached to the church. The material choices, application of light, general floor plans and architectural details all contribute to the alteration of values attached to the once sacred siteto now accommodate the new residential function. Whilst these alterations might appear somewhat destructive, it is with closer analysis that the thoughtful intentions of commemorating the original architectural values of the church are revealed. In a social understanding, the residential conversion of the Spire House arguably denies the surrounding community access to what was originally a site for communal congregation, therefore shifting the values and meanings we attach to the church to now suit a new privatised function of the site. However, this case study demonstrates the reality of secularisation, and that some responsibility lies within the community that ultimately challenges the repurposing of sacred space when they themselves have contributed to their redundancy. In a spiritual understanding, the Spire House neglects the transcendent meanings attached to the original sacred site. By physically and functionally changing the building, the spiritual qualities are dismissed and therefore the original values of the church are altered dramatically. This further reveals the complex blend of the spiritual and the mundane in one building. The introduction of the mundane into the sacred allows for an opportunity of commemoration of the original religious values to the site to be appreciated, where they would otherwise be forgotten. The spirituality of the Spire House therefore serves a purpose of memory to the original values and meanings attached to the church, as a result of the loss of spiritual values in a secular society.

Through analysis of the material, the social, and the spiritual values of the church, and the Spire House in particular, we can deduce that residential conversion can be a successful long-term solution to commemorate the identity of once sacred space in a new secular era, challenging existing conversations on church conversions. Therefore, the deconsecrated church once destined for ruin, can instead be assured of resurrection.

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