schneider & lengauer architects: cemetery + wake room hopfgarten

‘cemetery + wake room hopfgarten’ by schneider & lengauer architects, defereggen, east tyrol, austria image courtesy of schneider & lengauer architects

set within a scenery of mountain peaks in defereggen in the east tyrol region of austria is ‘cemetery + wake room hopfgarten’ by austrian firm schneider & lengauer architects. adjacent to a baroque church, the centrally located building offers villagers a place to mourn and say farewell as well as have daily encounters with the community. natural stone walls border ramps which lead to an entry forecourt, also separating the site from the street. the concrete structure is faced with quarry stone masonry. vertical wood planks project above the top of the walls to support the rafters and traditional alpine shingles surfacing the roof.

visitors pass through a solid two-winged gate into a larch wood paneled room. illumination is integrated into the panels for winter months and nighttime. simple benches are mounted to the perimeter walls for family communication within a parlor setting. on the eastern elevation, a slit window brings in morning light. a band of clerestory windows wrap the entire room, welcoming daylight to brighten the atmosphere along with a backdrop of only forested mountainsides and sky.

ramps lead to a stone forecourtimage courtesy of schneider & lengauer architects