Sint-Josephkerk
Sint-Josephkerk stands in Amsterdam-West as a former Roman Catholic church, now an indoor playground. Its straight concrete lines, rectangles, bell tower, and octagonal baptismal chapel give the building a distinctive postwar appearance.
Gerard Holt and Karel Tholens designed the church, drawing on early Christian buildings and modern concrete architecture. Construction began in 1950, and worship continued until 1990. Marius de Leeuw’s ceiling painting and the stained-glass windows preserve its artistic character inside. The building later housed a climbing centre, sheltered rejected asylum seekers, and reopened as a children’s playground in 2016. Solar panels, heat recovery, LED lighting, and insulated stained glass support its continued use as a national monument.
The former nave now holds slides, a ball pit, and an obstacle course, while a go-kart track occupies the basement.
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- Amsterdam
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