There used to be a canal next to the Protestant Reformed Church in Dracthen. Years ago, transport boats called ‘skûtsjes’ were sailing to and fro next to the church. There is a scale model of such a boat inside the church. Indeed, the first members of this church community were people who worked on skûtsjes. So, it was soon apparent that a boat had to feature in the concept for the new interior. This eventually crystallized into the abstract skeleton of a boat.

The sacrament table is the central element of the design and the most important piece of furniture. As pastors in today’s church tend to stand among their congregation rather than preach from the pulpit, this table’s role became even more important. The lectern here is not a loose piece of furniture but forms a permanent part of the table. It is where the Bible is placed, of course, but symbolically it is also at the helm of the ‘boat’. To make the boat skeleton more visible, the tabletop is made of glass.

In addition to the table, the interior has a piece of furniture which features the old altar stone. This piece is in the middle of the new ‘contemplation centre’ and is made using the same design language.
 
Made in collaboration with Kijlstra & Brouwer architects. (www.kijlstraenbrouwer.nl)