Stift Wilhering
In Wilhering wird gebetet
Inside the historic chapter house of the Wilhering Monastery is a newly designed prayer chapel. MARCH GUT developed new choir stalls for this space in an analytical exchange with the monastery community. This process involved conceiving a place of prayer that considered questions related to sustainable natural resources, ergonomic principles, theological considerations and monument preservation. Ultimately, a classic choir stall was created from the wood of the oak trees of the collegiate forest. The design principle of the stalls eschews the use of any screws or nails, a decision made possible using plug connections. Additional elements such as the altar, ambon, consoles, additional benches and the chapel door also follow the principle of simplicity.
The ambon was oiled white, the altar black. Both elements can be nested together and make reference to the monks‘ vestments. The door was designed as a free-standing frame with two wooden door leaves so as not to damage the substance of the Romanesque stone archway. The area between the door arch and stone walls was made of glass and offers a view of the chapel. In a personal touch, the height and width of the objects were measured using the hand spans of Abbot Reinhold Dessl and Hubert Nitsch.
