Pagan Temple
Location: Referinghausen, Sauerland, Germany
Network: Open Mind Places
Typology: Installation
Client: Referinghausen e.V.
Area: 40 m2
Status: Built, 2020
Material: Recycled wood
Collaboration: Local community
Pagan Temple, part of the Open Mind Places in Referinghausen, embodies a connection to nature and community. Situated along the ancient Heidenstrasse—a historic trade route linking Leipzig and Cologne for over 1,000 years—this structure invites visitors to reflect, rest, and connect with the surrounding landscape in Sauerland.
Positioned at the transition between dense forest and open clearing, the temple is composed of wooden pillars supporting a circular roof. An incision in the roof frames a view of the treetops and sky, symbolizing the contrast between the forest’s shadowy depths and the open fields’ brightness. This design element captures the balance of light and dark—a reflection of the journey from clearing to woodland.
Before, the roof served as a table for our architectural exhibition GROUNDED at Aedes in 2019. After the exhibition, it was turned upside down, elevated onto the wooden pillars, and transformed into the temple’s sheltering roof. This repurposing gives the structure a second life in the woodlands of Sauerland.
The Heidentempel, as it is locally called, is more than a physical space; it is a place for exchange—with nature, with others, and with oneself. It embodies the spirit of renewal and creativity, inviting visitors to reconnect with the timeless dialogue of the natural world.