Graz-based studio INNOCAD architecture was awarded the World Interior of the Year 2025 with its project Fractal Chapel in Graz, Austria at the INSIDE Festival, a sister festival of the World Architecture Festival (WAF).

The Protestant Church houses the Fractal Chapel, a tranquil haven for patients, employees, and guests at a public hospital in Graz. 

The design, which incorporates biophilic features and fractal patterns to produce a serene, emotionally resonant place, is based on recent studies in environmental psychology and neuroscience. 

Together, these components support wellbeing, lower stress levels, and cultivate serenity in the challenging hospital setting. 

The chapel's design, by INNOCAD architecture, heavily relies on fractal patterns. These patterns, which were created through a partnership between scientists and designers at the University of Oregon/Fractals Research, are motivated by the geometry of nature and elicit favorable neurological, physiological, and psychological reactions. 

A proprietary computer tool that blends creative input with scientific analysis was used to create the fractal creations. 

This special art-science technology makes it possible to create visually appealing patterns that also encourage calm.

To highlight the interaction of pattern, form, and light, the chapel's material palette is kept simple. The altar, benches, flooring, and ceiling are all made of wood, which adds to the room's cozy, earthy feel. This decision keeps the natural elements and fractal patterns as the main focal points. 

The chapel, which is 35 square meters in size, has a room-high glass façade and a double-height ceiling. The low entry area opens into an 8-meter-tall room in accordance with religious scenography principles, giving a dramatic yet serene experience. 

The chapel's focal point is a distinctive altar made from the inverted rootstock of a walnut tree by a well-known Austrian sculptor. Enhanced by sophisticated lighting and surrounded by fractal surfaces, the altar encourages periods of reflection and introspection.

Last year, Office AIO was awarded the World Interior of the Year 2024 with its project Pang Mei Noodle Bar LFS in China at the INSIDE Festival. Additionally, Fernando Menis' Holy Redeemer Church and Community Center of Las Chumberas in La Laguna, Spain was named the 2025 World Building of the Year.

The Miami Beach Convention Center hosted the World Architecture Festival from November 12–14, 2025, located in the famous Art Deco District at the center of South Beach. The global architecture community gathers at WAF to celebrate, learn, share, and be inspired.

The largest live-judged architecture awards program in the world is held annually by WAF. Through presentations by architects to prominent delegations and worldwide judging panels, it honors design accomplishments.

All images in the article © Paul Ott.

> via WAF 

chapel Graz INNOCAD architecture interiors World Interior Of The Year Award