Cemeteries need to think beyond a place to lay a grave. They need to be a vibrant celebration of life, family, history and individuality integrated into a shared community.
Rather than creating empty and homogenous expanses of graves, smart cemetery construction can avoid sunken markers and patchy turf. It takes an experienced team to understand the delicate nature of this type of project.
Master Plan
Modern cemetery design focuses on connecting with the community and providing options for every personality to be remembered the way they want to be. It encourages natural areas and works with the existing geographic assets on the property. It can include a wooded path dotted with engraved cremation rocks, plaques or benches for remembrance and quiet reflection.
The master plan is a comprehensive and strategic roadmap for the cemetery. It includes a review of the site with regards to topography, drainage, earthwork, vegetation, climate and other aspects of the property. It also includes a program statement including burial types and quantities, mausoleums, cremation needs, chapels, office buildings, parking, circulation and maintenance yards.
It should also consider the increasing demand for cremation interment and provide attractive places for this option. It is a good idea to review the master plan regularly, perhaps every 5 years. This will ensure that the cemetery is meeting the needs of its market and planning for future growth.
Landscape and Architecture
Modern cemetery design must think beyond a place to lay a grave; it must be a vibrant celebration of life, family, history, individuality and community, integrated within a shared urban space. This kind of thinking requires a particular skill set, one that includes an understanding of the needs of society and the landscape of the site.
A cemetery’s landscape should be beautiful and easy to navigate. Proper grading and drainage can prevent water from pooling and damaging the site, as well as make it easier for visitors to find their way around. The landscaping should also take into account the religious and cultural traditions of the community it serves.
Cremation gardens and estates require good design, rich materials, pleasant textures, and water features to be successful in a memorial park setting. These types of elements add interest and beauty to the landscape and help create a memorable experience for the families. Scenic vistas can be created by placing end terminuses such as a mausoleum or chapel at one end of the axis and an intermediate terminus such as a cremation garden with pavilion or a fountain at the other.
Accessibility
A cemetery is a very delicate space and it is important to provide access to those who come to visit. This can be done with thoughtful design cues, as well as through a comprehensive site mapping.
With an accurate map of the burial grounds, plots, monuments and headstones, a cemetery can plan for future needs more effectively. It also allows the administration to verify that all memorials meet specific guidelines in terms of construction and size.
Many cemeteries have established restrictions on the types of memorials that can be installed. These can include things like material type, color and language used in the inscription. These restrictions ensure that the memorials will be consistent with the rest of the cemetery and do not detract from the overall look or safety of a section. This also helps to prevent overcrowding.
Signage
When a cemetery is in use the provision of appropriate signage for all parts of the grounds is vital. This is to allow visitors to quickly and easily find graves or specific monuments as well as to provide them with helpful information about the Cemetery grounds.
Signage includes directional signs, identification signs and memorial plaques or bench markers. The design of the signage should be carefully considered to ensure that it fits into the overall Cemetery Design and does not distract from the memorials or the ambiance of the site.
Thick aluminum metal Cemetery signs are durable and resist vandalism. A laminated finish protects the surface of the sign and helps it to retain its good looks for a long time.