Open Chapel
Location: Hillershausen, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Germany
Typology: Community space
Client: Bergkapelle Hillershausen e.V.
Area: 50 m2
Materials: Sandstone, wood, steel, plants
Status: Built, 2022-2024
Collaboration: Local Community, Groß & Wilke
The Open Chapel in Hillershausen stands as a symbol of collaboration and serves as a perspective changer, inspired by the Open Mind Places in Referinghausen. Created through a bottom-up process by local residents, this building embodies a collective effort to establish a sanctuary for shared experiences and communal spirit.
Perched on a hill, twelve 6-meter-tall sandstone pillars form an open space with an interior shaped like two protective hands, providing a welcoming area for reflection – both individually and collectively, with others and with nature. Communicative seats encourage face-to-face interaction, fostering dialogue and contemplation. The roof with hanging plants blurs the boundaries between architecture and nature, while the wood chip-covered floor symbolizes a seamless transition from the interior to the surrounding landscape.