In the westernmost region of Austria sits a tiny chapel among the grassy mountains of the Bregenzerwald and Krumbacher moors. Kapelle Salgenreute is a 40-square-meter [430-square-foot] project envisioned with the help of the surrounding community of Krumbach.
The chapel is designed by Bernardo Bader Architekten, a Dornbirn-based architecture firm known for its stunning, minimalistic modern structures throughout the rural parts of the country. The building replaces an old chapel that had previously occupied the site for 200 years. Instead of renovating it, the community decided to create an entirely new structure that pays homage to its past roots. Over 100 volunteers helped realize the project.
Set on a stone base, Kapelle Salgenreute — Chapel of the Holy Cross — is covered entirely in light wood that will darken and turn gray as it ages with exposure to the sun, much like the old farmhouses found throughout the region. The design features a steeply pitched roof — a contemporary addition to the small structure.
The interior layout is designed to match the old building, which possessed a classic apse construction. Two slender vertical windows on either side of the large metal door bring light inside, while a window sliver in the back of the white apse presents a view of the tree behind the building.
The statue of the Virgin Mary, which came from the existing chapel, is placed nontraditionally on the side of the apse. The chapel is decorated with minimal church pews that mimic the timber hues of the walls.
Kapelle Salgenreute is a small but sacred space clad in wood, a carefully detailed structure destined to give visitors to this scenic region a few moments of peace and reflection.
Images via Bernardo Bader Architekten