Saying goodbye to loved ones is never easy and Cemetery Design plays a critical role in the delicate process. Creating a master plan ensures cohesive planning, optimizing land utilization and long term sustainability.
Well-designed cemeteries also preserve history and culture while introducing new forms of community use and addressing urban land scarcity.
Accessibility
Taking the needs of visitors into consideration is essential to cemetery design. Whether the goal is to accommodate traditional graves, mausoleums, cremation niches or memorial gardens, the design must allow for easy navigation and maintenance of the grounds. This is especially important for older cemetery visitors, who may have limited mobility. Wide pathways, accessible features and intuitive signage are standard elements of modern cemetery design.
Inclusivity is another key factor in contemporary cemetery design. Many cemeteries now offer designated areas for diverse cultural or religious practices, reflecting a commitment to serve the entire community. Sensitive organization and stacking of spaces avoids hierarchy to foster a collective experience of respect.
Grever & Ward prepares cemetery section designs with an eye to the contemporary needs of operational and maintenance economy, as well as aesthetics. Our expert design and planning teams can develop a comprehensive plan that will provide for the needs of your unique market. The result is a beautiful and meaningful final resting place.
Aesthetics
The final bidding of goodbye to a loved one is a delicate and personal event. A cemetery must be sensitive to this experience and design accordingly. Its layout must be cohesive and the landscaping should have a natural flow to it. The cemetery landscape should also be carefully planned to minimize maintenance and ensure the sustainability of the site.
This is done through biomimicry, the process of drawing inspiration from nature’s forms and structures to develop innovative architectural solutions. This can create spaces intended to evoke calmness and comfort in visitors.
Cemetery landscape should include a variety of plantings for color and texture, as well as species that thrive in a given climate and soil conditions. This will prevent non-native woody plants from dominating the cemetery’s ecosystem and should prioritize the preservation of native species for habitat purposes. Lastly, directional signage is important to help orient visitors throughout the cemetery. This will make the experience for families more pleasant and reduce the stress of finding a grave or memorial.
History and Culture
Cemeteries that focus on history and culture have more appeal to families and the community. Preserving older tombstones and monuments reflects cultural continuity, and personalized funeral services create unique and meaningful memorials. Burial practices that offer eco-conscious alternatives to metal caskets and embalming chemicals also reflect changing values.
Optimized space utilization is another critical aspect of cemetery design. This allows for maximum burials while preserving green space. A good example is the Valley of the Sun Memorial Park in Chandler, Arizona. They were able to sell a single private estate in the cremation garden before construction even began using their master plan and an artist’s rendering of the garden.
Well-designed multi-story columbariums balance architectural mass with fluid, volumetric voids to create an experience that is both open and intimate. The San Mauro Torinese Cemetery Extension by Raimondo Guidacci exemplifies this strategy by seamlessly integrating structural components with sculptural voids. Similarly, the Eternal Hill Columbarium by Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten uses a consistent spatial organization to establish a sense of calm and privacy for visitors.
Abstract Ideas
Cemeteries are often located in unique areas and they should work positively with their natural landscape. This would include designing drainage systems that infiltrate water and use retention structures as aesthetic features and habitats.
Circulation is a critical aspect of cemetery design and should be well-thought out to ensure efficiency, safety, and comfort. It influences the way people move through a space and the perception of scale, creating a sense of place and emotional context.
Many contemporary memorial sculptures celebrate the lives of the deceased by incorporating quirky themes and symbolism that capture their individuality. By integrating these motifs into the overall cemetery design, they provide a meaningful tribute to the deceased and help families come to terms with their loss. Similarly, a tree planting can help visitors find peace and closure. It can also evoke positive emotions and help the deceased’s family create a natural connection with their loved one. The buried roots of the tree absorb moisture and nutrients, providing life and new growth.