Christmas invites – including architectural criticism – to think a few thoughts that, at least temporarily, take us away from the crisis-ridden realities of our present. Can rooms help with this? The clear answer is: yes!
As part of the urgently necessary interior renovation of the late Renaissance parish church of St. Stephan in Offenhausen, which was carried out in 2023, the Vienna-based artist Arnold Reinthaler, who comes from Offenhausen, redesigned one of the two historic side chapels. One of Reinthaler’s main focuses is sculpture and the integration of sculptural works into spatial contexts.
For Offenhausen he developed a concept of consistent reduction to a few design and meaning elements. They unfold their effect against the background of the now pure white walls and architectural elements of the light-filled chapel interior. A subtle, symbolically meaningful interplay emerges between the restrained artistic interventions and the spatial architecture.
Contemplative symbolism
Along the wall, a continuous, light bench follows the curve of the apse. It is a traditional invitation to take a seat, to form community, to meet or to communicate. Simply designed stools can be pulled out from under the bench and used as individual seating in the room. In the center of the apse there is a water basin sunk shallow into the ground and surrounded by a wide metal ring. The diverse religious associations associated with this simple form cannot be listed here. Baptism, source of life or world circle are probably the most obvious.
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Image: Roland Mayr
Source: Nachrichten
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