Anticipating the unanticipated
The proposal takes the form of a poetic and innovative notion of cemetery. With a network of memorial vessels that aggregate over time, decomposed matter from the body is exchanged into sustainable energy in the form of a soft glowing luminescence with research from a sector of Columbia University called Death Lab. This brings together ecological resiliency and sensitive remembrance on both social and intimate levels. As part of a palimpsest narrative focussed collaborative strategy, the proposal Roots of Luminescence, aims to bring to surface not only celebration for life, but also death in our everyday performative journeys. As the complex journeys of varied participants are separated, the spatial conditions and thresholds create different boundaries of emotion.
Intersecting rituals
Upon arrival, visible from the existing ‘No Place’ memorial, the level of entry announces itself as an extension to the street, where the ritualistic journeys of the body, immediate and intermediate participants are very much intertwined. As these journeys are separated the spatial conditions and thresholds create different boundaries of emotion for the participant.
Synergy between territories
The project demanded an architecture that both manifests and responds to the users emotions very sensitively. As the human population grows, cities around the world are running out of cemetery space. A nod to history in the rich context of the site brings the proposal to an aspect of reuse in both structure [existing stone wall] and land [former burial] in not just a single layer definition, but reuse of traces that the site once held in pride and identity.
Reminiscence of hope
Flourishing life, reflected upon death
‘Our dead are never dead to us until we have forgotten them’ - Day of The Dead, Mexico. The spatial conditions within this proposal offer intimate moments throughout the journeys of the participants. One is able to reflect upon their own thoughts, stories and memories- while being offered a poetic sense of pride out looking to the future of their lives.
Interlace of Journeys
Interlacing thresholds for rituals of varied emotion - Spaces threaded by ritualistic journey’s that have a considered sense of emotion in the mourning of death.
Between life and death
an old alliance
An architecture that is anchored within a rich historic alliance between three vernacular programs - The Royal Naval Hospital, The St Peters Church and the 'No Place' Naval Memorial.
