We can’t treat buildings that we live in like just another structure for shelter. Humans have developed design and architecture which brings real elegance to our living spaces. Sure we can spend our lives in four-walled mundane buildings, but it doesn’t hurt to beautify them. Some of the owners and architects have done phenomenal jobs of converting dismal abandoned buildings into spectacular properties. Here is a list of 10 such abandoned buildings turned into amazing homes.

1 A Water Tower

A water tower that had been abandoned since the 1990s and that was built between 1938 and 1941 was completely renovated by Bham Design Studio in 2009. They transformed the 30-meter-tall tower in the Belgian village of Steenokkerzeel into a single-family home. It was also used as a watchtower by the Nazis in World War II.

The water tower was purchased for $43,000 in 1996 by Patrick Mets. The 450-square-meter tower is located near the Brussels Airport. The owner had been fascinated by water towers since his teenage years, but finally, his desperate search to find one to buy indeed succeeded.

The renovation of the tower took the architects five years and $2.1 million to finally complete, which was in 2009. The tower has six floors and eight columns to support the structure.

The topmost floor consists of the kitchen and living room that are designed angularly in contrast to the circular shape of the tower. The next floor down is dedicated to bedrooms and the bottom floor, the fourth floor, held the bathrooms for the entire family. The third floor is for children.

The first and the second floors are the main entrances to the building.

Mauro Bigham, the architect says that they wanted to keep the essence of the building intact so they retained a number of original details. The concrete ceiling, stairs, and the water basin are just like they were before. (1, 2)

2 A Freemason Temple

In Indiana, there was a Masonic Temple that a secret society used for meeting for almost 100 years. The tribe left the place abandoned, and it was put up for sale in 2017. A couple from San Diego bought the 20,000-square-foot temple for $89,000 and turned it into a home for their family.

The couple who bought the abandoned temple was Theresa and Atom Cannizzaro. The couple has three kids and was looking forward to moving to Indiana from San Diego. They were basically hoping for a change that would allow them to spend more time with their kids.

That’s when they came across the Freemason Temple in the midwest in 2016, and the nearby farms really got their attention. They ended up buying the spacious temple and moved in six months later. They turned the abandoned and haunted building into a pleasant home for their children.

The remodeling of the house was relatively slow-paced since the couple didn’t choose to take any loans out to do it. They simply sold their old house in San Diego and bought the temple in one go. There are plans for making the basement into a community event place, a movie theatre, etc. (Source)

3 An Elementary School

An abandoned 11-acre elementary school in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania was turned into a single-family mansion by a couple in 2016. The Perry Elementary School was opened in 1965, and the couple calls their $2.3 million home “The School House.”

The couple bought the elementary school in 2016 and transformed it into a ranch-style mansion. The interested buyers could see the bold letters saying “The School House” right on the entrance.

The total living space of the building is 14,716 square feet with its huge living room having a modern fireplace. The cafeteria of the school has been turned into a modern, award-winning kitchen with a large pantry for storage. 

There are four bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms that have the original school urinals.

Some of the aspects like the gymnasium, the private fitness room, and a large arcade remain intact. And finally, it has a whopping garage that can accommodate 30 cars. 

It is said that the place could be used for other purposes as well like rehab facilities, foster care facilities, executive retreats, etc. (Source)

4 A Water Pumping Plant

Because of its odd position, a water pumping plan in the leafy suburb of Berlin remained vacant since the 1990s. However, two artist friends bought the pumping house for just $700,000 and approached Wenk and Wiese architects. They transformed the place into a perfect living plus working space.

The pumping station was constructed in Berlin back in 1925/26. Although, new facilities were built on the premises in 1993 and the station was decommissioned. The machines at the service station were already dismantled in the 1950s. It had been placed under a preservation order since 1989.

The two artists, Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragster, saw the opportunity to get their hands on the building that was undesirable to businesses and developers. They saw its posting on a real estate site online and immediately bought it in 2006.

Now the structure has three categorical segments, the 13-meter-high main hall, and has four smaller stories in the northern part.

The main hall is the space for artists to work and has a gallery now. Some mobile platforms and lightings were be changed. (Source)

5 An Air Traffic Control Center

Located in Hadstock, Essex, and once used as an air traffic control center in World War II, a tower was converted into a four-bedroom home in 2002. The house has a peaceful panoramic view of the Little Walden Airfield and the surrounding rolling countryside. The airbase is now a secluded Grade II-listed home.

Named “The Control Tower,” the building is located three miles northeast of Saffron Walden and is on the former Little Walden Airfield. It was opened in 1943 by the US Air Force. Then it was used to store military surplus before eventually closing down in 1958.

The present owners of the house bought it in 2002 and modified it into a modern home while preserving its original purpose and design at the same time.

The living area and the master bedroom rests on the first floor to enjoy the scenic view of the surrounding countryside. Other features include en-suite bathrooms and walk-in closets.

The base consists of the kitchen, other bedrooms, family room, and a large garden with a deck area. (Source)