MAASTRICHT
NEW CHURCH in de heEG
2026
The new church in De Heeg, Maastricht is envisioned as an open and welcoming place that connects faith with everyday neighbourhood life. Beyond being a place of worship, it offers flexible spaces for community activities, cultural events and social encounters. By preserving elements of the former church and reinterpreting its historic octagonal form, the design connects the past with the future. The church becomes an open door for the community, bringing people together and strengthening neighbourhood connections.
A New Church for a Changing Neighbourhood
Reconnecting community, faith and urban life.
The revitalisation of an existing urban area in Maastricht calls for an integrated approach in which public space plays a central role. Within the broader urban vision developed by Diederendirrix, the redevelopment brings together new housing, a supermarket and a central public square, creating opportunities for a more vibrant and connected neighbourhood.
As part of this transformation, the existing Church of Saint Monulphus and Gondulphus, together with other social, cultural and recreational facilities, is proposed to make way for a new urban development. The ambition is not simply to replace existing buildings, but to rethink the role of community facilities and reposition them at key locations within the neighbourhood.
From an Introverted Church to an Open House
Where the existing church has a predominantly introverted character, the new building is envisioned as an open and welcoming place: a spiritual home that reaches beyond the parish to engage with the wider neighbourhood.
Responding to the evolving needs of the community and the pastoral vision of the parish, the church is conceived as a flexible, multifunctional environment that encourages encounter across generations. An accessible entrance area, a walk-in café open to the neighbourhood and a day chapel for smaller gatherings create a welcoming threshold between the sacred and the everyday.
The Octagon: connecting Heaven and Earth
The octagon lies at the heart of the architectural concept, connecting the heritage of the former church with the spiritual meaning of the new building.
The original church had an octagonal floor plan, referring to the tomb of Saint Monulphus and Saint Gondulphus, two important saints in Maastricht. Preserving this recognisable geometry was an essential part of the design brief. However, the limited space available made a new octagonal floor plan inefficient in terms of interior use. Rather than replicating the original form, the design reinterprets the octagon as a defining architectural and symbolic element.
The octagonal altar is positioned on the first floor, directly beneath an octagonal skylight. Natural light descends through the roof opening, illuminating the altar and creating a powerful focal point within the church. The geometry continues through the floor, where the opening becomes a skylight for the day chapel below.
In Christian iconography, the octagon symbolises the connection between heaven and earth, as well as the transition towards new spiritual life. This meaning finds expression at the altar, where the Eucharist is celebrated in remembrance of Christ's sacrifice and humanity's reconciliation with the Father.
Through the interplay of geometry, space and natural light, the two levels become physically and spiritually connected. A reference to the historic church is thus transformed into a contemporary architectural expression of faith, linking past and present, heaven and earth.
Rooted in Heritage, Open to the Future
The design seeks to balance continuity with renewal. Recognisable elements of the existing church—including its stained-glass windows, wooden pews, organ, Stations of the Cross and tabernacle—are intended to be retained and reintegrated wherever feasible.
These elements carry the collective memory and identity of the parish, giving the new building a tangible connection to its past. At the same time, new functions and a more open architectural character respond to changing demographics and the spiritual needs of younger generations.
The reinterpretation of the octagon follows the same principle: preserving the essence of the past while allowing its meaning to find a new architectural expression.
A Hub for Community Life
Beyond its religious function, the new church is envisioned as a place that brings people, organisations and initiatives together. By facilitating collaboration between social and cultural partners—including Trajekt, the neighbourhood centre De Boekel and the new library—the building can become an active meeting point within the wider community.
Its flexible spaces are intended to accommodate activities that strengthen social cohesion, from film nights and public debates to communal Christmas dinners, a welcoming coffee corner for elderly residents and meeting spaces for young people.
Extending its role beyond the parish, the church becomes a shared social and cultural space where people of different ages and backgrounds can connect, and where faith, culture and everyday life intersect.
Looking Towards the Future
The ambition is to create a church that honours its roots while opening itself to the future: a place of faith, hospitality and encounter, deeply connected to the life of its neighbourhood.
Through the reinterpretation of its historic geometry, the integration of familiar elements and the introduction of new social and cultural functions, the project seeks to establish a meaningful continuity between past and present.
More than a place of worship, the new church is envisioned as an open house for the community—a place where architecture gives form to faith, light expresses meaning, and shared spaces create new connections between people.
