mounÂÂtain-chapel-wirmÂboÂÂden / Austria
DesignÂer | Sven Matt | |
LocaÂtion | WirmÂboÂden, 6882 SchnepÂfau, AUSTRIA | |
Nation | AusÂtria | |
Design Team | ||
Year | 2016 | |
PhoÂto credits |
EXTERÂNAL 1: Adolf Bereuter (www.adolfbereuter.com) |
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PhoÂto external
Project descripÂtion
In the BreÂgenÂzÂerÂwald, an alpine valÂley in WestÂern AusÂtria, tranÂshuÂmance is still the comÂmonÂly pracÂtised form of farmÂing: LiveÂstock is driÂven to graze on mounÂtain pasÂtures in the warmer months. The lowÂer ones of these pasÂtures are called ‘Vorsäß’ while the highÂer ones, used in the warmest sumÂmer months, are called ‘Alpe’.
WirmÂboÂden is a ‘Vorsäß’ at the foot of the steep north face of the valley’s KanÂisÂfluh mounÂtain, owned and manÂaged by a colÂlecÂtive of farmÂers. Almost every ‘Vorsäß’ has its own litÂtle chapel or at least some desÂigÂnatÂed space for the celÂeÂbraÂtion of massÂes and the traÂdiÂtionÂal conÂseÂcraÂtion of the farmÂers and their liveÂstock. For 32 years there was a litÂtle chapel at WirmÂboÂden, but in 2012, the chapel and sevÂerÂal huts were destroyed by an avalanche. While it was clear from the beginÂning that the huts would be rebuilt, it was more chalÂlengÂing to find a conÂsenÂsus on the conÂstrucÂtion of a new chapel.
What we see now at WirmÂboÂden is a symÂbol for the colÂlecÂtive spirÂit of this very diverse group of peoÂple. It was them who negoÂtiÂatÂed, conÂceived, planned, and evenÂtuÂalÂly built this chapel over the course of three years. Today, the mounÂtain chapel comÂpleÂments the ensemÂble of alpine huts most natÂuÂralÂly; it became the place where neighÂbours meet, where gathÂerÂings and celÂeÂbraÂtions are held, where peoÂple come to take a moment and pray.
Thanks to pracÂtiÂcal conÂtriÂbuÂtions by almost every sinÂgle memÂber of the WirmÂboÂden colÂlecÂtive, the chapel was built withÂout any help from third parÂties. Everyone’s parÂticÂiÂpaÂtion made posÂsiÂble what seemed imposÂsiÂble in the beginÂning — makÂing (almost) everyÂone hapÂpy with the result: A gem in the mountains.
ExplanaÂtoÂry report of the project
DownÂload report
TechÂniÂcal drawings