Annakapelle Schladming by Hammerschmid Pachl Seebacher Architekten
Austrian architects Hammerschmid Pachl Seebacher have renovated a fourteenth century stone chapel with skeletons in its basement (+ slideshow).
The newly opened crypt had been closed off for around 200 years and the anonymous human bones and skulls found inside now line its walls.
The ground floor chapel above has been restored as a multiple-purpose room for the popular tourist town of Schladming.
Wooden benches and tables can be moved into different configurations to flexibly host talks, exhibitions or events.
The building was completed in collaboration with artist Wolfgang Guenther.
Earlier this year HPSA also completed a distillery with an asymmetric timber roof - see it here.
See all our stories about churches »
Photography is by Dietmar Hammerschmid.
Here's some more information from Hammerschmid Pachl Seebacher Architekten:
The revitalization of the cemetery chapel from the 14th century includes the restoration of the ossuary in the lower chapel, and the adaptation of the upper chapel into a cultural space.
The project includes an intensive examination of the historical use and the architectural significance of the building.
The church square as the threshold between public space, church and cemetery in the area becomes an major importance.
