Month: August 2025

Bidding a loved one farewell is a difficult task and cemetery design should be sensitive to this fact. A well-thought out design concept can help to evoke positive emotions and provide a soothing environment.

Designing a cemetery is complex and requires a lot of planning. A cemetery master plan is a crucial first step to successful development.

Modernism

The modern cemetery landscape emphasizes functionality and simplicity in design, reflecting changing societal values and beliefs about death and remembrance. This movement towards minimalism has also led to a rise in sustainability and eco-consciousness, with natural burial practices that minimize environmental impact and return the body to the earth naturally[1].

Personalization is another growing trend in the funeral industry, allowing families to create unique memorial spaces and monuments that reflect their loved ones’ personalities. In the same way, architectural innovations are reshaping mausoleums and columbariums with contemporary architecture styles and natural materials that offer a soothing environment for reflection and remembrance.

Incorporating elements like ponds and fountains can create an atmosphere that promotes tranquility and reflection, while using organic forms, materials and textures gives the space a natural flow. In addition, the use of biomimetic design draws inspiration from nature’s shapes, structures and systems to enhance performance and sustainability.[2]

Artistic Expression

Creating cemetery monuments is like painting a portrait, with each line and curve representing the soul of the deceased. Artisans converse with families to understand their loved ones, then use this information to create an aesthetic that captures their spirit. This process requires an artistic fusion of tradition and innovation.

The design of graveyards should reflect current cultural shifts and societal attitudes towards remembrance and legacy. By integrating these elements, modern cemeteries become spaces of comfort and support.

Land Layout: Well-planned landscaping allows for cleaner mowing lines, lower maintenance costs and enhanced beauty. Carefully considered plantings also help reduce noise, ambient light, wildlife, erosion, flooding and soil problems.

Sustainability

The use of natural landscapes and green spaces in cemetery design is growing. This trend is due to a change in cultural attitudes towards death and the environment. This change is also seen in a move away from traditional embalming chemicals and metal caskets to natural burial practices.

Space planning is a critical component of architectural design. It focuses on mapping out spaces based on their intended use, movement patterns, and relationships to one another. A well-thought-out circulation plan ensures efficiency and safety for visitors while enhancing the aesthetic of the cemetery.

Inclusivity is another key concept in cemetery design. This involves ensuring that the cemetery is accessible to people of all physical abilities. This is accomplished by creating wide pathways and incorporating accessibility features. In addition, the use of unique locations and natural features enhances the overall appeal of a cemetery. This helps to create a sense of place that is distinctive and attractive to families.

Accessibility

Incorporating accessibility into cemetery design is crucial for creating a peaceful and inviting environment that encourages visitation. The design of accessible pathways is important for wheelchairs and individuals with mobility impairments, as well as incorporating features like clear signage that can be seen from distances and up close.

The incorporation of cultural and historical elements into architecture is another way to express a cemetery’s identity and create an environment that resonates with visitors. This may be achieved by embracing traditional architectural styles, materials, or construction techniques to connect with the local community.

It is recommended that all cemeteries take a look at their master plan on a regular basis—perhaps every five years—to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the community. WC Fry Design has experience working with religious and secular communities to help them develop cemetery master plans, extensions and new sections. To begin the process, a detailed needs assessment should be completed.

When researching your ancestors, one of the most meaningful places you can visit is their grave site. For many, this is an emotional and meaningful discovery.

While the words cemetery and graveyard are often used interchangeably, there is a difference. A cemetery is a specific plot of land set aside for burials.

It’s a Place of Grief

Whether you’re visiting a cemetery for the first time or have been to many, one thing’s clear: this is not just any patch of land. From the name itself (“cemetery” vs “graveyard”) to the way it’s carefully maintained, there’s something about this place that feels sacred.

Perhaps it’s the silence — a kind that gently calls you to reflect, pray or remember. Or maybe it’s the way people walk a little slower, speak more softly or simply pause for a moment before entering. These small touches – and the many traditions they bring with them – help make cemeteries meaningful spaces that honor grief, love and questions.

In addition, the presence of others who have also lost someone creates a unique sense of community that offers empathy and support without words. The resulting bond is known as “common loss” and serves to support individuals who are navigating the grieving process alone. This shared experience of mourning is a major reason why a cemetery is a place of healing and not simply a resting place.

It’s a Place of Life

A cemetery is a place where you can go and visit your loved ones, reminisce, leave flowers or even communicate with them. It’s a peaceful place where you can also be reminded of your own mortality. It’s a place where you can remember the good times and the hard times of your life.

Historically, most cultures believed that ties of kinship extend beyond death. To keep those ties alive, families often built family burial grounds on land set aside for this purpose.

As burial practices changed over time, so too did the nature and function of cemeteries. From sanitary precautions (Romans and Jews avoided communal graveyards, instead using catacombs and churchyards) to aesthetic or religious considerations, modern cemetery design has evolved into a complex collection of distinct landscapes. Some are designed as beautiful gardens while others remain functional spaces with family plots and ethnic enclaves. Regardless of their style, however, most cemeteries share certain characteristics.

It’s a Place of Healing

In addition to fostering meaningful customs and connections within communities, cemeteries also provide a space for introspection and grief processing. For those who are religious, spiritual, or not, this type of meditative activity provides solace and comfort, allowing mourners to discover their own unique ways to connect to their deceased loved ones.

Many people are familiar with cemeteries through the gravestones of children, featuring beautiful images like angels with outstretched arms or lambs to symbolize innocence and purity. These children’s sections are often adorned with statues, as well as teddy bears and other toys to encourage families to come and pay their respects.

Similarly, niches and columbaria (spaces for urns) are common features of modern cemetery landscapes, as they provide alternative options to burial. These spaces allow for the same meaningful rituals to be carried out, but in a more streamlined way. This is especially true for those who choose cremation for themselves or their loved ones.

It’s a Place of Discovery

A cemetery is much more than just a place to lay down the dead. It is a repository of history and culture. Mapping cemeteries is more than just finding their locations, it is a way to explore the past and reveal new questions about our culture and heritage.

Historically, rich or influential Christians were interred inside churches in crypts while less wealthy congregants were buried outside in churchyards. Over time, the crypts became more elaborate while the graveyards grew to include monuments to fraternal societies, benevolent organizations and professional associations as well as lavish marble mausoleums for aristocratic and pioneer families.

A cemetery may be public or private; religious or secular; for-profit or not-for-profit; and the ownership structure determines its funding structure, staff configuration and services offered. Each has its own unique cultural and historical context that must be considered when planning for future use. The Friends’ design principles call for a survey map of the burial ground prior to development of any memorial design in order to avoid disturbance to graves and mark their locations precisely.

A memorial park is a place for socialization, exercise, nature and wildlife viewing, community and remembrance. It is a setting for a spiritualized life and a positive alternative to the somber atmosphere of traditional cemeteries.

With the growing number of people choosing cremation over burial, memorial parks have emerged as a more positive and life-affirming way to remember loved ones.

Dignity

Unlike traditional cemeteries that feature upright headstones, memorial parks use dignified engraved markers lying flat on landscaped plots. This creates an open and visually appealing environment that invites families to gather together to begin a new tradition of life celebration.

Memorial park grounds are often designed with serene, beautiful landscapes featuring a variety of trees, gardens and flowering plants to provide a peaceful place for families to process grief and find comfort. In addition, the trees planted in memory of loved ones serve as living legacies that represent growth and continuity.

Preplanning your final arrangements is one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give to your family. And when you choose a Dignity Memorial prearranged funeral plan, the price you agree to now is the price you’ll pay later—guaranteed. This helps protect your family from future price increases and gives you peace of mind knowing your wishes will be honored. Whether you choose to make your arrangements now or later, your plan is fully transferable and guaranteed to be honored by any Dignity Memorial provider in North America.

Family

Memorial parks focus on creating natural spaces that are welcoming to visitors and emphasize the importance of family. They often offer a more peaceful experience than traditional cemeteries, which can be overcrowded with competing headstones. Instead, they feature graves marked by dignified sculptured bronze markers that lie flat on landscaped plots.

A memorial park also provides a central location where families can gather to connect, grieve, and celebrate their loved ones. It can be difficult for families to find time in the busy lives they lead to sit and reflect after a death, but a shared space where they can come together can help ease their grief and build stronger relationships.

In addition, many people are choosing cremation as a way to reduce their environmental footprint, and memorial parks provide a green alternative to traditional burial. They promote sustainability by planting trees and reducing the amount of wood and concrete used in monuments. Families can even choose specific trees to plant, if they wish, to create an entirely personalized tribute.

Community

As a residential neighborhood, Memorial Park offers the ideal balance of privacy and prestige with easy access to world-class recreational facilities. This unique combination creates a community where neighbors value the importance of family, nature and a healthy lifestyle.

Residents have direct access to one of the country’s largest urban parks, nearly twice the size of New York City’s Central Park. The park is home to a top-rated municipal golf course, countless miles of trails, tennis courts and a botanical garden.

Combined with the area’s proximity to high-volume transportation routes, this creates a highly desirable location where owning a home in the area is not only a lifestyle choice but also a sound investment. The Memorial Park Real Estate market is a prime example, with properties selling for more than $2 billion annually. Top realtors in the neighborhood possess a rare combination of luxury market expertise, deep knowledge of the area and extensive networks of affluent buyers.

Peace of Mind

Peace of mind is essential for mental health and wellbeing. It’s what helps us make smarter choices, manage stress and anxiety, and stay positive even in challenging times. Creating a space that showcases your values and beliefs is one way to help your loved ones find peace of mind.

Another important factor is knowing that your family’s final resting place will be well-maintained for generations to come. This is why memorial parks offer a Perpetual Care Fund, which helps to cover the cost of upkeep.

Pre-planning your funeral arrangements is a gift that enables your loved ones to focus on celebrating your life and legacy without the added burden of logistical decisions or expenses. It’s also an act of kindness that demonstrates how much you care about making their lives easier, helping them to find peace of mind. At Rolling Oaks Memorial Gardens, a serene memorial park cemetery near Broken Arrow, we are happy to assist with your funeral pre-needs and guide you in eliminating some of the unnecessary stress that comes from planning your funeral services during a difficult time.