Cemetery provosts residence St. Gerold
St. Gerold, Austria, 1994
Client
Pater Nathanael, Propstei St. Gerold
Concept
Martin Rauch
Builder
Lehm Ton Erde Baukunst GmbH
The cloister in the Great Walservally, founded a thousand years ago, was destined to deterioration and erosion in 1960. It was revived and in the last decades it has become a widely valued cultural and event forum. In the process of its refurbishment in the sixties, the cemetery was also rearranged. Instead of individual gravestones, the names of the deceased are written on steel sheets and commemorated in this way. A 20cm thick rammed earth wall was placed in front of the old enclosure wall in concrete. The main entrance received a new forecourt with the slanted, open gate sash. In the Lower Church the grave of the Saint Gerold, that was only discovered and excavated in 1965, was rearranged. Rauch has contained the grave with a rammed earth plinth. The unsightly concrete ceiling was refurbished with suspended, curved earthen tiles giving a new bottom view. The membranous character becomes obvious with the opened cutting lines, which also have the lightening for the room integrated in its splices.
(pictures: Bruno Klomfar)
