This thesis aims to rethink the Danish medieval village church and investigate the possibilities of adaptive reuse to secure their future use. There is a present issue that lies within a declining use of the rural village churches. At the same time,  there is a rising interest in initiating more diverse use of the medieval village churches. However, the medieval churches are under strict conservation legislations that prevents physical changes, as they are a significant part of the Danish cultural heritage. 
 
This raised the research question of the thesis: How can a Danish medieval village church adapt to embrace contemporary and future needs to ensure its relevance in modern rural society, where active conservation strategies can accommodate more diverse use while respecting its historical and religious significance and character? 
 
Through a thorough architectural and cultural analysis of the Danish medieval church’s history and the building typology, the basilica, a framework for the possibilities of adaptations to medieval village churches are developed. This is created based on the methodology of Rob Roggema’s Research by Design, and sub methods Framework for the Field of Opportunities in relation to the medieval village church by Maj Bjerre Dalsgaard, Søren Vadstrup’s Analysis and Value Assessment of Buildings, and Johannes Exner’s Four Keys. 
 
A design proposal of an adaptation of a medieval village church, is created through a chosen case, Borum Church. This aims to show how a general framework and design principles can be conducted on a specific case. This thesis design case present, how adapting the medieval church based on the basilica typology enables opportunities for new use and physical changes. An adaptation of the church can be done while respecting its special character, heterotopia and historical value. However, as the medieval church, in general, is a protected building, this thesis attempts to respect the conservation with active conservation strategies to ensure its place and function in future society. 

Dansk 

Dette speciale har til formål at gentænke den danske middelalderlige landsbykirke og undersøge mulighederne for adaptiv genbrug for at sikre dens fremtidige brug. Der er en aktuel udfordring i den faldende anvendelse af landsbykirker i landområder. Samtidig er der stigende interesse for en mere mangfoldig anvendelse af de middelalderlige landsbykirker. Dog er kirkerne underlagt streng bevaringslovgivning, der forhindrer fysiske ændringer, da de udgør en væsentlig del af den danske kulturarv.

Dette rejser specialets forskningsspørgsmål: Hvordan kan en dansk middelalderlig landsbykirke tilpasse sig for at imødekomme nutidens og fremtidens behov og dermed sikre sin relevans i det moderne landsbysamfund, hvor aktive bevaringsstrategier kan muliggøre en mere mangfoldig anvendelse og samtidig respektere kirkens historiske og religiøse betydning og karakter?

 Gennem en grundig arkitektonisk og kulturel analyse af den danske middelalderkirkes historie og bygningstypologien, basilikaen, udvikles en ramme for mulige tilpasninger af landsbykirker. Dette gøres med udgangspunkt i Rob Roggemas metode Research by Design og delmetoderne: Metodisk ramme for definition af mulighedsfeltet i relation til middelalderkirken af Maj Bjerre Dalsgaard, Søren Vadstrups Analyse og Værdisætning af Bygninger, samt Johannes Exners Fire Nøgler.

Et designforslag af en tilpasning af en middelalderlig landsbykirke udvikles med udgangspunkt i en udvalgt case: Borum Kirke. Formålet er at demonstrere, hvordan en generel ramme og designprincipper kan anvendes på en konkret case. Specialets designcase viser, hvordan en tilpasning af middelalderkirken med afsæt i basilikaens typologi skaber muligheder for nye anvendelser og fysiske ændringer. En tilpasning kan gennemføres med respekt for kirkens særlige karakter, heterotopi og historiske værdi. Da den middelalderlige kirke generelt er en fredet bygning, stræber dette speciale at respektere bevaringen gennem aktive bevaringsstrategier, der kan sikre kirkens plads og funktion i fremtidens landsbysamfund.