Friedenskirche / Community Centre
The Friedenskirche in Bochum, Germany, originally an evangelical church, was transformed into the "Q1 - Eins im Quartier" neighborhood center in 2013-2015 due to declining congregation and growing multicultural population.
About this building
The Friedenskirche in Bochum, Germany, originally served as an evangelical parish church and community center. However, due to a decline in the local congregation and a growing population with migrant backgrounds, the church faced challenges. In response, the Evangelical Church in Bochum, in collaboration with the "IFAKe e.V." association for multicultural child and youth support, developed a new concept for the building. It was transformed into a neighborhood center called "Q1 - Eins im Quartier: House for Culture, Religion, and Social Services in the Westend."
The renovated facility now serves as a meeting place for people of all religions and includes a cafeteria, group rooms, a youth area, offices, an event hall, and a Peace Chapel for prayer and worship. The project, which won an award in a national competition, exemplifies the need for collaborative approaches and adaptive reuse of church buildings in response to changing demographics. The majority of the project's costs were covered by public funding from various levels of government.
