Chapel Retold: Danish Association of Architects Reimagines Sacred Space

This blog post examines “The Chapel Retold,” a temporary architectural project in Denmark. The project reimagines a former funeral chapel and its garden.

I break down the project’s intentions, strategy, and materials. I also reflect on why this minimal-intervention approach matters for practitioners and clients interested in adaptive reuse and sustainable architecture.

What the project is and why it matters

The Chapel Retold — completed in 2025 and featured on ArchDaily on September 29, 2025 — occupies roughly 300 square meters. It deliberately avoids heavy alteration of the original structure.

Instead of erasing the building’s story, the intervention highlights existing qualities. The small chapel now serves new cultural and communal roles.

From my thirty years in architecture and engineering, projects like this show that value can be unlocked through restraint, collaboration, and material care. This is relevant as clients and municipalities face climate constraints and seek culturally respectful solutions.

Key collaborators and curatorial strategy

The design was led by architects Emilie Boye Kjær, Ebbe Lavsen, and Frederik Koefoed. Curation was provided by Sidsel Gelting Hodge and art historian Marianne Krogh.

The team engaged artists and artisans in a multidisciplinary process. This approach enriches spatial storytelling and ensures craftsmanship informs every decision.

This collaborative ethos shapes programming and long-term adaptability. The building, once funerary, can now host varied cultural uses while retaining dignity and restraint.

Design strategy: minimal intervention and adaptive reuse

The project follows a philosophy of minimal intervention. The architects aimed to preserve the chapel’s proportions, light, and connection to the garden.

They sought to reveal the building’s potential rather than impose a new identity. This is a low-energy path to reuse that aligns with circular economy principles.

Minimal intervention reduces embodied carbon from demolition and new construction. It retains embodied energy within existing materials and preserves cultural memory.

Materials, craftsmanship and technical choices

The project uses materials and products from reputable brands focused on quality and durability, including Auro, Ifö Electric, Kvadrat, and Linolie & Pigment A/S. These choices reflect a commitment to long-lasting finishes and responsible specification.

Working with artisans allowed for custom treatments that respect the building’s age. The finishes also meet modern performance and accessibility needs.

The result is a calm interior where material tactility and natural light support contemplative uses.

Lessons for architects, clients and municipalities

For those advising on public or heritage projects, The Chapel Retold offers clear takeaways:

These points are practical and scalable. They apply to small heritage buildings as well as larger civic conversions.

Concluding reflections

The Chapel Retold is a model for architects and engineers who want to show the benefits of sensitive adaptation. The project keeps interventions minimal and encourages collaboration across disciplines.

Careful material choices help transform a former funeral chapel into a versatile cultural resource.

 
Here is the source article for this story: The Chapel Retold / The Danish Association of Architects