When a church is no longer used as a place of worship, a desanctification ritual is performed to render the space a “regular” building. Then, the building is sold and transformed into whatever the owner wants — a home, a bookstore, a Dunkin Donuts, anything. Despite this de-churching process, a church will always feel like a church, so it’s an odd thrill to walk into a “bar,” order a beer, and realize you’re surrounded by gorgeous stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings. After the jump, we’ve gathered photos of eight repurposed churches around the world. Check ‘em out, and hit the comments to let us know what you think. … Read More

Tokyo-based design firm, Atelier Bow-Wow coined the term “pet architecture” to describe buildings squeezed in to left over urban spaces. Why the cute conclusion? Principals Yoshiharu Tsukamoto and Momoyo Kajima, explain: “Pets, companion animals of the people, are usually small, humorous and charming. We find what we call ‘pet architecture,’ architecture having pet like characteristics, existing in the most unexpected places within the Tokyo city limits.”

From a handful of Bow-Wow’s stunning, smart designs to buildings so thin they look like a sheet of paper, click through to check out some of the most incredible buildings built for the teeny, tiny slivers of leftover land in our increasingly dense urban areas. … Read More