London (United Kingdom): the church floats to its flock

Denizen Works has designed a floating church for the Diocese of London in collaboration with Turks Shipyard and naval architect Tony Tucker. The wide-beam narrowboat, named Genesis was developed to travel along the canals and meet the growing communities arriving in some newly redeveloped sites, part of the London Mayor’s “Key Opportunity Areas” initiative. Inspired by the famous Volkswagen Camper and organ bellows, the church boat has a folding roof, which allows it to pass under bridges. The roof is crafted from a concertinaed, translucent sailcloth, lined with LED lights, and powered by hydraulic rams. In its open position, it increases the height of the barge to 3.6m, and at night, it can be illuminated, capturing attention and attracting visitors to the Mission. The entrance of the barge features the main assembly space, while the kitchen, office, and toilet are located towards the rear. The assembly space can accommodate up to 40 seated people and up to 60 passengers while stationary. Moreover, marine elements were included in the design, with marine-style bulkhead lights, which create an intimate atmosphere, and the altar, which is designed with an angled front face like the prow of a boat. The barge is flexible and adaptable, with its 60 m2 of space capable of accommodating a range of other activities such as exhibitions, art classes, and live music. Inaugurated in 2020, the church will stay in the location for five years (River Lee Navigation alongside Here East at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park) and then move to the following location on the river. The budget for the project was £650k.