Competition Ramersdorf

The building design of the parish and pilgrims' home of the parish of Maria Ramersdorf and the redesign of the ecclesiastical open spaces around the pilgrimage church signify an expansion and reinterpretation of the old village centre of Ramersdorf. The historical ensemble around the church is framed by a wall that encloses the old cemetery. Buildings of different ages are built directly against this wall or are in the immediate vicinity, creating the impression of a conglomerate that has grown over time. Inside and outside the wall, the site is characterised by an old tree population.

The design contrasts the introverted layout around the church building with the idea of an open garden in which the parish and pilgrims' home is positioned. In contrast to the enclosed character of the churchyard, the area around the new building should manage without structurally defined boundaries and open up to its surroundings.

The churchyard, bordered by the surrounding wall, will be given a uniform paved floor in passé bond made of granite and will bind together the ensemble of pilgrimage church, pilgrims' house, gatehouse, old cemetery and rose garden as a uniform, calm frame. The old tree population plays an essential role for the atmosphere of the place and is integrated accordingly. The newly defined parish meadow, on the other hand, is characterised by its public character. With the inclusion of the existing trees, this creates a spacious area for pilgrims, wedding guests and all the other visitors to events and celebrations in the new parish hall.

Together with the rectory on Ramersdorfer Strasse to the north and the Benefice House to the west, the design redefines the parish garden. Unlike the existing houses, the new building has no front or back. Its position away from the street and the polygonal shape of the cubature make the building appear as a house in the garden, oriented in many directions. The articulated volume with its bent façades takes into account the old trees and blends into the existing ensemble.

In its structure, the new building refers to the church ensemble of built bodies and interstitial space. It consists of three bodies that occupy the corners of the building. In their centre, an open centre is created - the parish hall. As a two-storey, sheltered space inside the building, it has a connection to the garden as well as to the gallery on the upper floor.

The conceptual division of the house into bodies and spaces is reflected in its construction. All three bodies are solid, cast in insulating concrete. In their centre, the rooms for the foyer and parish hall are constructed like a wooden piece of furniture in a light construction. A circumferential roof closure covers the ensemble and unites all parts under one roof. The massive bodies are given a perforated façade with large openings that seek a relationship to the surroundings. From the outside, they emphasise the public character of the house; from the inside, their strong profiles make the views look like framed pictures. In contrast to the heavy construction of the bodies, a light wooden façade fills the spaces in between.