greenatorium
brooklyn, ny

This project is a promessionarium composed of a set of interior spaces dedicated to the functions of mourning and caring for the dead.

There are many interiors designed to accommodate mourners and this is an integral piece of this design problem. But the larger and more challenging problem is the recognition of death in an interior space.

1. Interior that evokes an equal, non-denominational feeling
2. Interior space that conveys a spirit of tenderness and intimacy without overt sentimentality
3. Space instills a deep sense of awe without inflicting god-fearing terror and pompous ceremonies

I came to the conclusion that there is no single response to the problem. People deal with death and mourn the dead in a wide variety of ways, but most people experience the loss of a loved one in a sequence beginning with the sharpness of grief, then mourning and then reemergence and remembrance. This process is reflected in the design which moves from dramatic to lyrical.

Nevertheless, the building was designed to give a wide range of possible solutions for visiting it and spending time in it. And while the experience of visiting the building and the site can be sequential the entire experience was not conceived of as a procession. The building is treated almost porously and allows for people to move through it and satisfy their specific needs.

Also, sustainability became an integral part of the project in terms of rethinking the environmental impact of cremation. Green Walls, for example, have been incorporated as a new method of space-saving burial.

The finishes selected seek to evoke a sense of comforting tenderness and intimacy on a tactile level but at the same time a sense of awe through the large-scale surfaces of the building they have been applied to.

sectional elevation

main entrance

central space

chapel entrance

chapel interior during the day

chapel interior during sunset

chapel seating

tranquility zone adjacent to chapel

waiting area during promession process

hall of remembrance

meadow of the dead

greenwall burial